Congress Travels More, Public Pays

Lawmakers Ramp Up Taxpayer-Financed Journeys; Five Days in Scotland

…Eleven of the 12 legislators then left the five-day conference two days early…

…On Sunday evening, the last night for most of the lawmakers, they, their spouses and the congressional aides were seated in a private dining room at the Rhubarb restaurant, which has been described in the Sunday Times of London as “the preferred destination for cash-flash celebrities.” For a private dinner, the restaurant offers dishes including grouse with sauerkraut and prunes with Armangnac for $54 and a 12-ounce Chateaubriand steak with béarnaise sauce and Madeira jus, for two, at $106. Mr. Tanner’s spokesman said the lawmakers paid with their own money.

“That was awesome,” Rep. Jo Ann Emerson (D., Mo.) said to one of her companions afterward. A spokesman for Ms. Emerson said he didn’t know what such a remark would have been about and couldn’t confirm it…

[emphasis added, hat tip to RBH]

Go. Read the whole thing. You’ll just love the part about the “control room.”

Update:

Jo Ann Emerson’s party affiliation has been corrected on-line:

…”That was awesome,” Rep. Jo Ann Emerson (R., Mo.) said to one of her companions afterward. A spokesman for Ms. Emerson said he didn’t know what such a remark would have been about and couldn’t confirm it…

[emphasis added]