UPDATE: Here is a doozy.
Three nights of being wined and dined by Visa (the credit card company) in San Francisco. Is it me or does this sound like the kind of thing that would make excellent talk radio?
Visa, It's everywhere Castle's staff wants to be. Did you know that Congressman Castle's mouthpiece is a doctor? Either did I. But the American College of Gastroenterology knew it. They paid for Dr. Wenk to go to Key West
"to learn the latest techniques in colon cancer screening" (and work on her tan).
It is nice to know that if I'm ever in the same room as Wenk and I catch her checking out my ass she is doing it as a professional. And yet I wonder if having our congressmen and their staffs flown around the country by special interests might make them feel beholden to those interests? Hmmm.... I'm going to have to think about that some more. In fact I'm going to have to give this
whole database of trips that Castle and his staff took paid for by lobbyist.
Let's see...here is one:
Emily Pfeiffer
Destination: DELMARVA FARM TOURS
Sponsor: MIDATLANTIC FARM CREDIT
Purpose: VISIT 3 FARMS
Date: Apr 22, 2003 (1 day)
Expense: $257.00 Emily Pfeiffer got $257.00 form "Mid Atlantic Farm Credit" to VISIT THREE DELMARVA FARMS...? What did they drink with lunch ? Dom Perignon? Did she take a freakin helicopter? Granted, I don't want to visit three Delaware farms - but if I had too I think I can do it for under $275.00.
Read the whole list. Castle's office is clearly out of control. They are sucking up trips and perks from people with business pending in congress like Kate Moss snorting up fat lines of cocaine. By my quick back of the envelope calculations Castle and his staff have accepted $195,000 in free travel from organizations out to buy Mr. Castle's goodwill.
I've got to get on the batphone and get
Doug Williams on this story. I'm sure he will spring into action and the 4th estate will make us proud this time.