Military to Lawmakers: Next Round’s on Me

[kpete]

Military to Lawmakers: Next Round’s on Me
by Alexandra Andrews, ProPublica - January 20, 2010 12:11 pm EST

Getty Images
Getty Images
This is one of our editors' picks from our ongoing roundup of Investigations Elsewhere <1>.

According to today’s Wall Street Journal, http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704362004575000943067824382.html the military has dispatched officials to accompany lawmakers on dozens of trips abroad – and shower them with "thousands of dollars worth of alcohol, food and other amenities." In doing so, the Journal reports <2>, the "military exploits its official escort role on these trips to foster relationships with lawmakers who approve departmental budgets and top appointments. The disclosures also underscore the military's pervasive pursuit of congressional access."

The officials who go on the trips are usually the same ones lobbying Congress in Washington, reports the Journal, which requested the military-expense records through the Freedom of Information Act.

The military laid out its strategy very clearly in correspondence between Army officials in November 2008 about an official’s upcoming trip to Europe with Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Conn. Its goals were to:

"1. Establish a personal connection between the Army and Senator Dodd office. 2. Create Member access through relationships. 3. Educate members of Congress on FCS," a reference to the Future Combat Systems, a multibillion-dollar modernization program favored by the Army that was killed this year by the Pentagon.


more:
http://www.propublica.org/article/military-to-lawmakers-next-rounds-on-me-0120
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704362004575000943067824382.html

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

1. "Ex" military to lawmakers...

Same thing.