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The Spectacle Blog
Roll Call’s Jonathan Strong reports that Ron Paul’s office has a history of billing both US taxpayers and outside groups for the same flights — and that he’s been confronted about it:
In March 2005, David James called Rep. Ron Paul’s (R-Texas) Congressional office for some documentation.
James’s nonprofit group, the Liberty Committee, had paid for one of Paul’s flights, and James needed a receipt or boarding pass to document the expense. He’d been pushing Paul for the paperwork and now, on the phone, he was “putting his foot down.”
“So I called the office manager,” James recalled. “They knew me, like, as well as they knew Ron. And I said, ‘Liberty Committee is paying for this expense. I need to get the boarding pass or the ticket or something.’”
The office manager said Paul’s Congressional office no longer had documentation for that flight; Paul had sent it in to the House Finance Office for reimbursement. But Liberty Committee had already sent a check to American Express to cover the charge on Paul’s credit card…
In a subsequent conversation, James raised the issue, and Paul “was very curt, and he simply said, ‘Yep, well, happens all the time,’” James, 64, told Roll Call.
Liberty Committee was reimbursed for that particular flight, but it wasn’t an isolated incident:
James’ recollection and new documents obtained by Roll Call suggest Paul was aware that he was often being reimbursed twice for individual flights. In all, Roll Call found 26 flights in which several layers of documentation show double payments: credit card statements that detail the ticket purchases, a payment to Paul from his taxpayer-funded House account for reimbursement of a flight and Federal Election Commission records or copies of checks that verify a second payment from a separate group for the same flight.
Roll Call obtained copies of checks from the Liberty Committee to American Express that paid for Paul’s expenses. The records obtained by Roll Call cover about 17 nonconsecutive months. Beyond the 26 flights, documents show an additional 31 flights where it appears Paul was double-reimbursed but the records lack sufficient detail to prove duplicate payments.
David James wants Liberty Committee’s money back, and is really angry about the whole thing:
On Feb. 15, James sent a fax to Paul’s Clute office citing Roll Call’s reporting and asking for about $10,000 in reimbursement for nearly 20 double-billed trips.
“It makes me damned angry that he would have taken the Liberty Committee, which was designed to work to pass liberty-oriented legislation and withstand any scrutiny and have contaminated it from the very beginning,” James said.
“It never in a million years occurred to me that this man would be capable of what we can now see. So when there’s mass hysteria and disbelief when this is published, I am not surprised. I was right with them.”
Paul spokesman Jesse Benton tells Strong that anything untoward can be chalked up to “wholly inadvertent errors,” and Paul’s comment to James that this “happens all the time,” while flippant, isn’t exactly wrong; congressmen often mix up the expenses from their campaigns, PACs, and other affiliated financial entities with their office expenses. But when it happens, it’s proper to reimburse the right entities so that the books come out clean, and not doing so can be a fairly serious crime. Paul’s office had better clear up this and similar financial issues as soon as possible. Paul’s reputation as a credible chamipion of the taxpayers will be hard to preserve if he’s embezzled money from them, inadvertently or not.
View all comments (62) | Leave a comment
More Blog Posts by John Tabin
http://spectator.org/blog/2012/02/21/a-ron-paul-finance-scandal
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KJ| 2.21.12 @ 1:05AM
If there were errors I am sure he would fix them IF HE HAD THE RECORDS. Is someone offering to give them? Because my understanding is that it might easily have been situtations where two people traveled together, one under one account the other under another.
Meanwhile, Ron Paul refused his pension because it was too rich for taxpayers to pay for when all they get is social security. That would pay for a ton of erroneously billed through tickets. I am certain IF there were errors, they were honest. But sandbagging someone long after most people would have gotten rid of records and they don't know what you are referring to seems pretty cheesy.
Jack in Wi.| 2.21.12 @ 1:52AM
The guy who gives a huge part of his office budget back to the treasury every years is attacked by the usual neo-con suspects on this webb site with some nonsense charge. They refuse to cover the fact that there was a huge vets rally for Ron Paul in Washington today. They also forgot to cover the fact that Ron Paul has gotten another huge contribution from the active duty military in the last quarter. He is by far far and away the favorite of the people who have to put their asses on the line. They don't want to fight another senseless war with Iran. No American soldier wants to die for Israel. No Israeli wants to die for Israel either. They would rather the Americans die, for the dear old apartheid state..
Josh| 2.21.12 @ 3:40PM
I find it funny how you ramble on about needless Paulbot talking points, yet you ignore the illegality of his actions in the article. We should take you seriously... why exactly?
Oldefarte| 2.21.12 @ 4:37PM
Typical BS from an political ars-kisser. If an employee of a private corporation failed to document their travel expenses by dotting I's and crossing T's, they will be fired rightfully. It's called corruption and fraud!!!!!!!!
Resistance| 2.21.12 @ 1:21AM
This is pathetic why don't you cover the troop march? Why don't ask Nancy where the money went in Frisco? You guys are seriously on the payroll.
Greg Langley| 2.21.12 @ 1:27AM
Another mountain out of a molehill non story. I can not believe that I wasted my time reading this and have further prolonged my agony by typing a reply that is as pathetic as the article written above.
Chris Nichols| 2.21.12 @ 1:38AM
Mr Tabin, what you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.
Dai Alanye | 2.21.12 @ 1:46AM
Double-pay Paul, eh? Let's hope investigators get to the bottom of this.
Clint| 2.21.12 @ 6:39AM
Voters Could Also Investigate The Santorum Vote For Medicare Part D And The Fact That
" Santorum collected fat board payments fom Universal, the King of Prussia mental-health and community hospital chain which makes most of its money from taxpayers via Medicare and Medicaid, even as he claims to oppose more taxpayer subsidies for healthcare."
" Hospitals, Coal Made Santorum A Millionaire
Director fees from Universal Health, lobbying fees from coal operator Consol Energy and law pay from Eckerd Seamans helped ex-Sen. Rick Santorum turn his Washington connections into millions in personal income."
Just Sayin'.
The Tea Party Rebellion Heads To A Brokered Convention.
Occam's Tool| 2.21.12 @ 11:53AM
That was as an ex-Senator. Private citizen.
Paul is a fascinating specimen. By the way, Iran has cut off oil shipments to Britain and France. What would be the Paul approach to the attempt at cratering the economies of two of our biggest business partners? (Not Israel, by the way---try to think with your badly deteriorated brain on this one, Clint.)
Liberty4All| 2.21.12 @ 1:50PM
He would do what the Constitution commands. Protect the US from all enemies foreign and domestic. He would identify who was the problem. Talk to Congress and act within the bounds of the Constitution, not as a militaristic dictator like the others.
Oldefarte| 2.21.12 @ 4:44PM
He'd no doubt have the US Navy divert the embargoed oil from Iran and deliver/deposit same into his Lake Jackson oil tanks for personal useage, no doubt [or maybe sell same to GB and France at a 30% surcharge and then pocket the difference/profit] !!!!!!!!!!
Clint| 2.21.12 @ 8:32PM
You're A Urine Specimen, Screwball Israel Firster Smear Bund Fanatic, Tool Job.
Do Your Homework.
Neither Britain Or France Are Big Buyers Of Iranian Oil.
Aaaand,
" Iran expects to hold more talks with the U.N. nuclear watchdog, it said Tuesday, after a two-day visit by inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency aiming to push Tehran toward more transparency over its nuclear program."
The Tea Party Rebellion Heads To A Breokered Convention.
Oldefarte| 2.21.12 @ 4:40PM
Typical BS by camoflouging/diverting your reply onto another subject. The subject is his double billing to financially enhance his pocketbook, and since he's apparently done it multiple times, its termend FRAUD AND CORRUPTION!!!!!!!!
Clint| 2.21.12 @ 9:41PM
Do Your Homework RINO-CINO Israel Firster Smear Bund Buffoon, Gas Butt.
" Public records show hundreds of flight payments between 1999 and 2009 in which both the House and Paul's campaign paid for plane tickets of the same price and about the same date. Given the limitations of publicly reported data, in many of those cases it's not possible to conclude that the matching flight payments represent duplicate reimbursements, because the possibility of an alternate traveler cannot be disproved. Paul has not been accused of wrongdoing by any authorities."
The Tea Party Rebellion Heads To A Brokered Convention.
Robal| 2.21.12 @ 4:52AM
Pathetic. That's the best you can do to smear Paul?
he is old. he is cantankerous, he is not the most inspiring debater, or the most eloquent.
he IS, however, far and away the most honest, principled person to run for president in decades. The Jefferson of our times.
He gets, which you obviously do not, that when the executive can abridge the ENTIRE bill of rights (except the third amendment), that details like who paid for a flight are beyond irrelevant.
leo| 2.21.12 @ 5:16AM
rofl nice try tabin.
aware| 2.21.12 @ 5:27AM
Meanwhile, Paul once again says starkly the truth:
"We've slipped away from a true Republic," Paul said. "Now we're slipping into a fascist system where it's a combination of government and big business and authoritarian rule and the suppression of the individual rights of each and every American citizen."
But who's listening? The running dogs are worried about plane trips and convincing us their big government Statist candidates are "conservative" saviors.
Oldefarte| 2.21.12 @ 4:46PM
Then why doesn't he TELL THE TRUTH concerning his double billing for expenses??????
Sean| 2.21.12 @ 5:30AM
Ron Paul is passing up hundreds of thousands possibly millions of tax payer dollars by giving up his pension. Meanwhile neocon Tabin is trying to make a 10000 dollars into a scandal. Ron Paul isn't even the one doing the billing.
People are supporting Ron Paul because he is the only fiscal conservative running that will actually cut government spending. All the others have to explain why they supported TARP, Medicare D, unbalanced budgets by the trillions and all the other nonsense they vote for.
Let's take a look at Santorum. There is no evidence that he would ever stop unbalanced spending as in the past he supported all of it. We are 15,000,000,000,000 in debt. That is 1.5 billion times worse than a double billing mistake by some office clerk.
Tom| 2.21.12 @ 6:12AM
I always knew that Dr. Nutjob is a hypocritical piece of garbage. Now it is coming out that he is a chronic thief and a habitual liar. Doesn't suprise me a bit.
mjs_pa| 2.21.12 @ 7:54AM
Better watch what you say about wRONg Paul or the paultards will take their votes and go home, go third party, or worse yet go for obama.
Hobbes| 2.21.12 @ 9:46AM
The Spectator is going more and more over to the NeoCon, anti-Traditional Conservative camp. Better get some real conservative writers to restore the balance. And the sanity.
Con Chef (NB) | 2.21.12 @ 10:03AM
Or you could just go to Screw Loose Rockwell & Alex Jones' Nutterworld. Most of your Paulistinians wouldn't be missed.
Occam's Tool| 2.21.12 @ 12:01PM
Con: a mild disagreement. :) Which Ronulans would be missed? I can't think of any, which is why I spend a lot of time at Debbie and Weasel Zippers these days. All I know is that they interrupt our political discussions and those other pleasant topics: BBQ and sports.
Hobbes| 2.21.12 @ 5:08PM
You NeoCons ought to go back to the Democratic Party where you came from. America First!
Clint| 2.21.12 @ 9:13PM
Or You Could Go To The Reaganites And Free Marketeers And Laugh At The 4-F Neo-Chickenhawk Israel Firster Smear Bund Coward, Con Job Frankel.
Ronald Reagan,
"Ron Paul is one of the outstanding leaders fighting for a stronger national defense. As a former Air Force officer, he knows well the needs of our armed forces, and he always puts them first. We need to keep him fighting for our country."
Milton Friedman, Nobel Prize Economist,
" I strongly support Ron Paul. We very badly need to have more Representatives who understand in a principled way the importance of property rights and religious freedom."
The Tea Party Rebellion Heads To A Brokered Convention.
Tom| 2.22.12 @ 4:43PM
I am just at UNIMPRESSED with Herr KKKlint's quotations now as I was the previous 6,284,335 previus times that he posted them.
Tom| 2.22.12 @ 4:41PM
Since most of the Paultards are going to do one of things anyway, good riddance to bad rubbish.
Mike Parent| 2.21.12 @ 7:48AM
What a pathetic regurgitation of a "Story" that has been explained away, weeks ago. More proof the Media in all it's forms has been corrupted!
Just Imagine how this "race" would have progressed if the MSM and the GOP establishment didn't have their systemic anti Paul agenda. CNN "gave" him 1.5 mins in a 90 min "Debate". How much more proof would anyone need to see the Establishment is doing everything they can to "box out" the good Dr? Obama doesn't want to face him and the GOP can't own him. It's not anyone but Romney, it's anyone but Paul! Now they're propping up Santorum and his Kooky ideas as their latest "front runner".
George| 2.21.12 @ 7:51AM
It seems a bit more Scandalous to kill people on a global scale, and to bankrupt our country and others. He's the 1% who fought the 99% who were doing all that scandalous stuff.
He is passing up hundreds of thousands of dollars from other government funds, so if he got someone to pay a few thousand extra for a trip, it really doesn't matter since in the big picture, it saved tax payers hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Clint| 2.21.12 @ 7:58AM
Big Government Statists, Big Wall Street, Big Parasite Are Scared Dr.Ron Paul Will Take Away Their Rice Bowls.
The Tea Party Rebellion Heads To A Brokered Convention.
Oldefarte| 2.21.12 @ 4:48PM
Maybe the issue is not 'taking away' so much as STEALING [remember the Commandment of G-D from your supposedly Catholic catecism class.........THOU SHALT NOT STEAL???????????????????????????????
Clint| 2.21.12 @ 9:47PM
Do Your Homework RINO-CINO Israel Firster Smear Bund Buffoon, Gas Butt.
" Public records show hundreds of flight payments between 1999 and 2009 in which both the House and Paul's campaign paid for plane tickets of the same price and about the same date. Given the limitations of publicly reported data, in many of those cases it's not possible to conclude that the matching flight payments represent duplicate reimbursements, because the possibility of an alternate traveler cannot be disproved. Paul has not been accused of wrongdoing by any authorities."
The Tea Party Rebellion Heads To A Brokered Convention.
martin j smith| 2.21.12 @ 8:03AM
Ron Paul is an Obama stand in and really should not even be considered a candidate for the so called Republican party. It depends on what you mean by Republican. And Mitt Romney makes me ill.
Liberty4All| 2.21.12 @ 2:01PM
In what regard are you referring? Ron Paul is personally pro-life. Obama is pro-choice. Ron Paul is for the least amount of government in your life, Obama wants to expand it and he did with NDAA, which the other three are ok with. Ron Paul wants people to balance eh budget and cut 1 trillion in real cuts, Obama and the rest do not even approach the topic of cuts. Ron Paul wants to bring home the troops, Obama and the rest want to start a war in Iran. Ron Paul wants to leagalize drugs, because the War on Drugs is a terrible approach to the problem (prohibition taught us that), Obama and the rest want to no change to drug laws. How is Ron Paul similar to Obama?
Hobbes| 2.21.12 @ 5:10PM
What's the point arguing with racist morons like Martin Smith? He has no clue what Obama or Paul stand for. All he wants to do is kill Muslims.
Clint| 2.21.12 @ 9:57PM
That's A Lie.
You're A Liar Israel Firster Smear Bund Scum, Smith.
Con Chef (NB) | 2.21.12 @ 8:59AM
HA! "The Jefferson of our times," my ass. This guy's a fake as a 3 dollar bill. And his frothing Jew haters like Jackboot in WI & little Clint the Valor Thief are just number 2 on the laundry list of reasons why people think Paul's a joke of a candidate.
Make him Sec Treas, where he can do the most good.
Robal wrote above that Paul is "the Jefferson of our times." Please! Ron Paul would've blamed our militirism & interventionsim as the reason for why the Barbary Pirates who took our ships & sailors hostage.
He ain't Jefferson. He's Thoreau.
Clint| 2.21.12 @ 8:50PM
That's A Lie.
You're A Serial Israel Firster Smear Bund Liar, Con Job Frankel.
The Tea Party Rebellion Heads To A Brokered Convention.
Mike Parent| 2.21.12 @ 11:09AM
Please cite one instance showing Dr Paul or his supporters to be a "Jew Haters". TIA
William R| 2.21.12 @ 4:13PM
If you don't want to fight endless war in the Middle East on behalf of Israel then you're a Jew hater in Tool Jobs book.
Occam's Tool| 2.21.12 @ 11:58AM
Mike: The many and varied posts of Clint discussing "Sandmonkeys."
For Dr. Paul himself: his attempts at reach out to groups such as StormFront and SpotLight as contributors; his profit making from his newsletters. I don't care if he didn't write them himself---they were published under his name and he made millions from them. Men accept responsibility for their name, and what is done under it.
Finally, Mike---get stuffed.
Mike Parent| 2.21.12 @ 5:02PM
Crickets from the PeaNUT Gallery. He/She can't show ONE anti Semitic statement or deed that can be attributed to Dr Paul.
Clint| 2.21.12 @ 9:04PM
You're A Sociopathic Israel Firster Smear Bund Serial Liar, Tool Job.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2gKXyBgr24c
The Tea Party Rebellion Heads To A Brokered Convention.
FreeTexan| 2.21.12 @ 1:37PM
So Ron puts it on his own card. Turns in an expense report with a bazillion other receipts and get reimbursed on the 11th. On the 21st the Liberty Committee writes and sends a check straight to AmEx without supporting documentation before writing the check? How is Ron Pauls bookkeeper gonna know about that?
They are referring to business from 2005. Statute of Limitations says shut up and move on. It's their fault for writing a check without documentation.
I don't want our future President spending time entering credits and debits for the shrimp cocktail at the White House. That's not the job that needs to be done. There are much bigger fish to fry.
Ron Paul 2012
Liberty4All| 2.21.12 @ 2:13PM
Agreed, don't hand out money or funds without a receipt to document the exchange, otherwise it is on you. If the other person is willing to reimburse you in good faith, then that is on them.
FreeTexan| 2.21.12 @ 1:38PM
So Ron puts it on his own card. Turns in an expense report with a bazillion other receipts and get reimbursed on the 11th. On the 21st the Liberty Committee writes and sends a check straight to AmEx without supporting documentation before writing the check? How is Ron Pauls bookkeeper gonna know about that?
They are referring to business from 2005. Statute of Limitations says shut up and move on. It's their fault for writing a check without documentation.
I don't want our future President spending time entering credits and debits for the shrimp cocktail at the White House. That's not the job that needs to be done by the President. There are much bigger fish to fry.
Ron Paul 2012
Liberty4All| 2.21.12 @ 2:04PM
You are wrong about the Barbary pirates. They attacked American ships. He would have responded within the bounds of the Constitution. He believes in it and would follow it. Others would not.
Sean| 2.21.12 @ 2:58PM
You are correct Ron Paul has given examples where he would use force including someone blocking the Panama Canal. As a side note the US Congress authorized military action against the Barbary Pirates even though there is no need for Congressional approval when we are attacked by a country.
Solo| 2.21.12 @ 3:16PM
.....and PaulBots run the indignant thread comments to over 400 in 3...2...1....
Sean| 2.21.12 @ 4:16PM
Fail!
C Bowen | 2.21.12 @ 8:47PM
Solo--
You were the one who thought Iraq's mad scientists were going to launch drones of biological death on Cleveland right?
LOL--aren't there comic book sites for people like you?
C Bowen | 2.21.12 @ 8:55PM
Tabin thought Iraq was a threat yet they still let him post on foreign policy. Should he really be taken seriously on anything?
Clint| 2.21.12 @ 10:04PM
The Israel Firster Disinformation Campaign Thinks The Little Israeli Tail Can Wag The American Big Dog.
" So why are Israelis talking about a potential attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities? Because that’s a good way – indeed, the only way Israel has — to pressure Western countries to work harder on the issue, to increase sanction and diplomatic efforts. If one believes that somehow pushing Tehran into slowing down or stopping its nuclear weapons drive is the only alternative to war, that greatly concentrates policymakers’ minds. Personally, I don’t participate — consciously or as an instrument — in disinformation campaigns, even if they are for a good cause."
The Tea Party Rebellion Heads To A Brokered Convention.
MNTX| 2.21.12 @ 11:21PM
Jonathan, the only thing shocking is that people didn't expect this. In 1988, Paul was kicked out of the Libertarian party and one of his staffers went to jail over an embezzlement scandal. http://www.nationalledger.com/.....8092.shtml
Geeza| 2.22.12 @ 7:51PM
I just love how these crony journalists title their articles:
'A Ron Paul Finance Scandal?'
'Ron Paul travels first class?'
'Ron Paul is a racist?'
'Ron Paul hates Israel?'
Here are a few suggestions:
'Ron Paul is from Mars?'
'Ron Paul is a vampire?'
'Ron Paul has stared at 4000 vaginas?'
Judy Parker| 2.24.12 @ 10:17AM
You are a liar. These allegations have already been investigated and proven false. You can't find any wrong doing on Pauls part so you continue to report the same lies. Get a life.
James Cool| 2.25.12 @ 12:15AM
I used to feel guilty for not contributing. I guess my heart was smarter than my head. I may block the sight. Remember nobody writes without permission or pay.
mari walker| 2.26.12 @ 7:09PM
You lowlife pos! This is the best you can do to run down the only true patriot we have. Point out accounting errors dating back to 2005. Give me a break! You get no more support from me because you are all creeps. I will support Ron Paul because, although not perfect, he is honest and trustworthy. Any error that occurred, if it actually did was in accounting. You pigs are grasping for straws. Ron Paul's support is out there even if you do smear him. You will have to do better than this. Really! I know you will delete me and I care not if you do.
mari walker| 2.26.12 @ 7:25PM
You'll know me when you receive that donation form coming to me in which I agreed to send a donation on Friday. It will come back to ya'll with something other than a donation on it.