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It's, Um, Fact Finding. Right? Yeah, That Sounds Good
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Four years ago, Congress passed what they claimed were strict restrictions on their own ability to take trips paid for by outside parties. That sounded good, except they left a big gaping loophole in the law, which is why lawmakers took 415 privately funded trips between January 1st and September 30th, which is 75% more than during the same period last year. How are they getting away with it? The trips are being funded by nonprofit organizations. Those are exempt. So anybody who wanted influence merely needed to form a nonprofit and pay for the trips that way. They should ban third-party funded trips altogether, but they like free stuff. (USA Today via WTSP–TV/St. Petersburg–Tampa; Thanks to Dave Elliott at WGUF/Naples–Fort Myers for the link)
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