Exclusive: FBI probed GOP trip with drinking, nudity in Israel

[proud2BlibKansan]

The FBI probed a late-night swim in the Sea of Galilee that involved drinking, numerous GOP freshmen lawmakers, top leadership staff – and one nude member of Congress, according to more than a dozen sources, including eyewitnesses.

During a fact-finding congressional trip to the Holy Land last summer, Rep. Kevin Yoder (R-Kan.) took off his clothes and jumped into the sea, joining a number of members, their families and GOP staff during a night out in Israel, the sources told POLITICO. Other participants, including the daughter of another congressman, swam fully clothed while some lawmakers partially disrobed. More than 20 people took part in the late-night dip in the sea, according to sources who took part in the trip.

“A year ago, my wife, Brooke, and I joined colleagues for dinner at the Sea of Galilee in Israel. After dinner I followed some Members of Congress in a spontaneous and very brief dive into the sea and regrettably I jumped into the water without a swimsuit,” Yoder said in a statement to POLITICO. “It is my greatest honor to represent the people of Kansas in Congress and [for] any embarrassment I have caused for my colleagues and constituents, I apologize.”

Travis Smith, Yoder’s chief of staff, told POLITICO “Neither Congressman Yoder, nor his staff, have been interviewed by the FBI.”

more . . . http://mobile.politico.com/iphone/story/0812/79865.html

[Fumesucker]

1. Nothingburger..

Hypocrisy aside, I don't give a flip about nude swimming or drinking or even if they were snorting blow off rent boy's asses..

[freshwest]

2. Your tax dollars at play.

[doeriver]

3. Legistorm.com - U.S. Rep. Kevin Yoder

Rep. Kevin W. Yoder (-Kansas, 3rd) - Privately Financed Travel
http://www.legistorm.com/trip/list/by/approver/id/2757/name/Rep_Kevin_W_Yoder.html

Yoder, Rep. Kevin W. (-KS) 08/13/11-08/21/11 American Israel Education Foundation
http://www.legistorm.com/pdf/trip_34652.pdf

[loli phabay]

4. lol does the FBI really look into people skinny dipping and drinking

i wonder what the reasoning behind it was.

[proud2BlibKansan]

11. Were they traveling on taxpayer money?

[doeriver]

13. American Israel Education Foundation

Israel jaunts set record for most costly trips
Posted by Daimon Eklund on Monday, September 12, 2011
http://www.legistorm.com/blog/israel-jaunts-set-record-for-most-costly-trips.html

"The American Israel Education Foundation has spent a record amount to send members of Congress and their staff to Israel in 2011, even before all the numbers are in.

AIEF has spent nearly $1.5 million on congressional travel already in 2011, primarily on a series of trips by members of Congress to Israel over the August recess.

The organizations have been sending members of Congress to Israel during the August recess every other year for about 20 years. This year, the trip was broken into three separate groups. A group of about 30 Democrats traveled to Israel the second week of August, followed by two different groups of Republicans in the following weeks. The total cost to AIEF for the August trips alone has already reached more than $1 million, and about two dozen people have yet to file disclosures detailing the costs for their travel.

Only once before has any organization broken into seven-figure spending on trips for members of Congress and their staff in an entire year. In 2009, AIEF spent nearly $1.2 million on congressional travel, with more than half of that total going toward the the August trips.
As Roll Call points out in a story today, although AIEF is technically a separate organization, it is virtually indistinguishable from AIPAC. As a pro-Israel lobbying group, AIPAC is prohibited from sponsoring most congressional trips. The organization uses a loophole in the ethics rules which does not restrict AIEF in the same manner.

In early August, the Washington Post reported 81 members would travel to Israel in August courtesy of AIEF, the largest group in the two decades AIPAC or its nonprofit arm have been sponsoring the trip..."

[loli phabay]

15. even if they were i got no problem with someone skinny dipping or having a few beers

as long as they had concluded their work that i am paying for and they are in their own time. Now my bigger problem is the junkets in the first place but if its legitimate business of the people then i got no issues.

[Dkc05]

5. vote him out. drain the swamp

Vote for his democrat opponent. Drain the GOP cesspool swamp

[proud2BlibKansan]

12. Yoder is running unopposed.

[Angry Dragon]

6. another republican showing his ass and what an ass he is

[doeriver]

8. U.S. Rep. Steve Southerland and daughter (Samantha)

U.S. Rep. Steve Southerland's campaign photo does not provide a photo caption identifying Samantha Southerland (who reportedly swam in the Sea of Galilee fully clothed)...

Steve Southerland for Congress
http://www.southerlandforcongress.com/splash-page/

[jayjayusa]

9. here she is

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.108744439183938.8644.100001451464126&type=3

[kentuck]

19. What an informative first post!

Welcome!

[doeriver]

10. How does POLITICO arrive at "late-night swim?

"The FBI probed a late-night swim in the Sea of Galilee that involved drinking, numerous GOP freshmen lawmakers, top leadership staff – and one nude member of Congress, according to more than a dozen sources, including eyewitnesses.

During a fact-finding congressional trip to the Holy Land last summer, Rep. Kevin Yoder (R-Kan.) took off his clothes and jumped into the sea, joining a number of members, their families and GOP staff during a night out in Israel, the sources told POLITICO. Other participants, including the daughter of another congressman, swam fully clothed while some lawmakers partially disrobed. More than 20 people took part in the late-night dip in the sea, according to sources who took part in the trip."

How does POLITICO arrive at "late-night swim"? The official trip itinerary filed with the U.S. House of Representatives indicates that this nude swimming event in the Sea of Galilee occured between the hours of 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. local time (Jerusalem) while sunset is recorded at 7:20 p.m.:

Sunrise and sunset in Jerusalem
http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/astronomy.html?n=110&month=8&year=2011&obj=sun&afl=-11&day=1
Aug 18, 2011 Sunrise 6:06 AM Sunset 7:20 PM

[upaloopa]

14. Getting shit faced and skinny dipping is as American as baseball and apple pie. Happens all the

time at campus parties.

[Warren DeMontague]

16. I think the reasoning here is that the fundies will go "ZOMG! PENIS IN THE HOLY LAND!"

But the fact of the matter is, I'm sure people skinnydip in the "Sea of Galilee" (or Lake Kinneret) all the time. It's not some sacred urn of Holy Water on the Pope's Desk, it's an actual lake with actual beaches, recreational facilities, etc.

[HiPointDem]

17. i don't see what's so horrifying about skinnydipping, even on a business trip. it doesn't cost

anything or hurt anyone.

[kentuck]

18. It's no big deal, except to those that might put religious significance on the Sea of Galilee...

Isn't that the Sea that Jesus walked upon the waters.

I have no problem with going for a swim. I have more of a problem spending taxpayer money on these ogres vacations - $10,000 per person and $1000 per room. They love protecting the taxpayers dollars.

[pinboy3niner]

20. To some, it's a big deal that family members were present

It's not a big deal when a Member of Congress is exposed. But they have a problem when a Congressman's member is exposed.

[kentuck]

21. Good one!

[warrior1]

22. why did it take so long to hit the news?

[yellowcanine]

23. "...and regrettably I jumped into the water without a swimsuit,"

Oh man, you CANNOT make up this shit.

And he does not come clean with the COMPLETE naked truth, does he? He didn't just jump into the water without his suit - he took off his clothes AND THEN jumped into the water without a swimsuit.