The Tracy Press uncovered that Rep. Richard Pombo and his family took a two week vacation and charged the trip to the taxpayers.
I wrote a letter to the House Administration Committee urging an ethics investigation. We deserve to know if Rep. Pombo has been abusing our trust and using our tax dollars for his own personal pleasure.
Take a vacation from corruption. Demand an accounting from Richard Pombo on why he used taxpayer dollars to pay for his family vaction. Sign the petition today:
www.filsonforcongress.com/getinvolved_petition.asp
Honorable Vern Ehlers
Chairman
Committee on House Administration
1309 Longworth Building
Washington, DC 20515
Honorable Juanita Millender-McDonald
Ranking Member
Committee on House Administration
1216 Longworth Building
Washington, DC 20515
Dear Mr. Chairman and Madam Ranking Member,
As a resident of California's 11th Congressional District, I am deeply concerned about the constant stream of reports in the press concerning Richard Pombo's ethical infractions. There have been what appear to be severe and repeated violations of both House ethics regulations as well as the public trust, which deserve the full focus of an Administration Committee investigation. Below are several recent news reports that concern me and other citizens of the district who are frustrated with the status quo that seems to encourage family kickbacks and abuse of power.
Today, reports surfaced that Pombo has been abusing his power as chairman of the Resources Committee in order to rent an RV and fund a private vacation for his family. Records show that Pombo was reimbursed $4,935.87 to rent the RV and spent $1,500.51 on a government credit card for "travel subsistence" during a two-week period in which his family was traveling "on vacation, stopping along the way to enjoy the splendor of many of our national parks," according to Pombo's website. [Tracy Press, 2/9/06]
Pombo has arranged for his top aide on the Resources Committee to travel back and forth from Washington, DC and California, costing the taxpayers no less than $87,000 in meals, travel and lodging over the past three years. [Contra Costa Times, 1/15/06]
In 2004, Pombo spent taxpayer dollars on a partisan mailing just one month before the November election in states targeted by the Bush campaign. He also granted Resources Committee members one month of taxpayer-paid leave to campaign for the Republican ticket in October of 2004. Staff travel during that time was also covered by taxpayer dollars. [Contra Costa Times, 3/26/05]
Pombo, in his capacity as Resources Chairman, asked for a $500,000 budget for franked mail for the 108th Congress. Franking is the privilege that permits Congresspersons to send official mail without postage. That demand was 800% greater than any other committee request. [Sacramento Bee, 3/17/05] Please consider this request for an investigation as soon as possible. Families in Northern California have watched as their freeways have become more clogged and gas prices have skyrocketed while their Representative has been taking his family vacationing at their expense. During my career as a commercial pilot, I've flown thousands of families to and from their hard-earned vacations. These people work hard to pay for these trips and they deserve to know if their Congressperson has been abusing their trust and their tax dollars for his own personal pleasure.
Thank you for your attention to this request,
Steve Filson
"Pombo charges taxpayers for vacation", Tracy Press: www.tracypress.com/local/2006-02-09-Pombo.php