One more example of the law of unintended consequences coming into play in the latest attempt to “fix” congressional ethics.

When Rep. Collin Peterson goes home to Minnesota, he likes to get around in his private plane, a single-engine four-seat Beechcraft Bonanza.
But since last month, his plane has been grounded, a victim of the new ethics rules passed by Congress, and Peterson isn't happy.

He said his Democratic colleagues were "trying to do the right thing" by cracking down on lawmakers flying around in fancy jets, but he was surprised when he was told he could no longer be reimbursed for flying his own plane for official business.

"It's a pretty stupid deal," said Peterson, 62, the new chairman of the House Agriculture Committee.

"I threatened to put in a bill to make it illegal for any member to drive their own car until we got this fixed," Peterson said. "And I told Nancy Pelosi that if she didn't get this fixed, I was going to quit and there was going to be a Republican in my place, that if I couldn't fly I wasn't going to do this anymore. She just kind of looked at me -- she said it'll be fixed."

It really is pretty simple – if Congresscritters can be reimbursed for auto mileage, there really isn’t any reason to forbid such reimbursement for official travel in any other sort of personal vehicle, is there?

Posted by: Greg at 11:57 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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