Study: White House Aides Get Free Trips

[deadparrot]

WASHINGTON - Companies lobbying government, colleges seeking star speakers and groups eager for information or face time paid for $2.3 million in trips over six years for White House officials, a watchdog organization reported Wednesday.

Powerful presidential confidants, like President Bush's political guru, Karl Rove, and President Clinton's national security adviser, Sandy Berger, shared in this bounty.

More than 620 White House aides took free trips between late 1998 and late 2004 to speak to conferences in Paris, Rome and other foreign capitals, Hawaii and Florida, ski resorts in Colorado and Switzerland. Of course, less exotic locales, like Detroit, Cleveland and Oklahoma City, also were among more than 350 destinations.

The Center for Public Integrity, a private ethics watchdog, studied two years of the Clinton administration and four years of the current Bush administration. Data came from public disclosure forms required of each federal office and of outfits that lobby government.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051201/ap_on_go_pr_wh/white_house_trips

[lovuian]

1. Study: Many White House aides accept free travel from companies, colleges

http://feeds.bignewsnetwork.com/redir.php?jid=58d1324743e53a1d&cat=3a8a80d6f705f8cc

WASHINGTON – Companies lobbying government, colleges seeking star speakers and groups eager for information or face time paid for $2.3 million in trips over six years for White House officials, a watchdog organization reported Wednesday.
Powerful presidential confidants, like President Bush's political guru, Karl Rove, and President Clinton's national security adviser, Sandy Berger, shared in this bounty.






More than 620 White House aides took free trips between late 1998 and late 2004 to speak to conferences in Paris, Rome and other foreign capitals, Hawaii and Florida, ski resorts in Colorado and Switzerland. Of course, less exotic locales, like Detroit, Cleveland and Oklahoma City, also were among more than 350 destinations.

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I'm fascinated that the AFLCIO paid for some of these trips!!! and Cheney doesn't bother keeping a logbook!!!

[napi21]

2. When does this become illegal?

What are the rules for staffers and aides on accepting offers like this?