Personally, I think most of the to do over the lax reporting of travel paid for by special interest groups is amusing. This isn’t to say such reporting should be ignored or lapses investigated. Rep. Joel Hefley (R-CO), former chairman of the House ethics committee, said in an AP story that, "There is no particular sanction (for tardiness) if you come back and file. They get lax. They don't think about it. People will be more aware now. The ethics committee will be more aware that it's a problem."
What amuses me are the excuses being offered by the men and women in office.
A spokeswoman for House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-MD) said the office searched the files after the travel issue was raised initially by "Republicans doing opposition research to deflect from their own ethical issues." [The “He hit me first” defense.]
Some other goodies:
I didn’t know I had to file [Try a variation on this one if you’re pulled over for a traffic violation.]
We sent them in, didn’t you get them? [This one always works with the IRS.]
It’s in a pile on my desk. [I use this one at work. It has the added advantage of giving you an excuse for your messy desk.]
But my favorite has to be from Maxine Waters (D-CA). "Sometimes they run late because the people who are responsible for inviting you have to get you all the receipts and they are so slow."
Perspective is a wonderful thing.
