Its almost nasty: Dems seek crackdown on sleeping in the Capitol

[demmiblue]

Source: Politico

A bloc of House Democrats is calling for an ethics investigation into the widespread practice of lawmakers sleeping in their offices, arguing it's an abuse of taxpayer funds.

More than two dozen members of the Congressional Black Caucus signed on to a letter obtained by POLITICO to Ethics Committee Chairwoman Susan Brooks (R-Ind.) and ranking member Ted Deutch (D-Fla.) asking for a probe into the “legality and propriety” of such conduct by members of Congress.

“There’s something unsanitary about bringing people to your office who are talking about public policy where you spent the night, and that’s unhealthy, unsanitary — and some people would say it’s almost nasty,” said Rep. Bennie Thompson of Mississippi, the top Democrat on the Homeland Security Committee.

The CBC's push targets a practice popular among conservatives triggered by former Rep. Dick Armey, an architect of the 1994 “Republican Revolution.” Lawmakers often sleep in their offices to showcase their thriftiness and their aversion to the Washington swamp.

Read more: https://www.politico.com/story/2018/03/06/democrats-sleeping-capitol-crackdown-431969

[greymattermom]

1. So they are homeless, right?

They should have whatever is agreed the homeless have in their location, a dorm room, a tiny house? Can they legally prevent homeless people from sleeping in their office building?

[Ligyron]

3. Naw, they could build a little barracks-like room with bunks for them.

Before long, we can just put bars on it and kill two birds with one stone.

[Phoenix61]

8. +1

[True Blue American]

25. They could build a row

Of those tiny houses like the Church did for the homeless with a community bathroom. Behind the capital.

That way they could get o good look at how the homeless live and think of that as they cut funds for SNAP and give huge raises to the wealthy.

[DemocracyMouse]

39. None of the "homeless" jokes are funny here

As a former academic who spent two grueling years forced to sleep in my office due to inadequate pay and long commutes, I think there has to be more sympathy shown here – not towards the showcasing Republicans but towards the longstanding plight of underpaid people the world over. Why would Democrats of all people call such a practice "nasty"? I resent it – personally.

A little self control please...

[True Blue American]

41. My post was not meant to be funny

It was simply to let Congress get a taste of what the real world is like.

If they have Dorms as one poster posted they need to use them. They should not be speeding in their office.

Many Congress men used to rent apartments and share them. They could do that.

[DURHAM D]

2. I have always thought this practice was stealing from the taxpayers. nt

[SCantiGOP]

29. Sleeping in a room instead of leaving it vacant

How is that stealing? Don’t understand the reasoning here.

[Angry Dragon]

35. Are you allowed to sleep at your work place??

[Action_Patrol]

36. It isnt a room that would be vacant

It’s their office, where they meet with constituents.
They avoid paying rent in DC unlike all of their staff.

[SCantiGOP]

38. The room would sit empty all night

Or someone would sleep in it. How does that cost anything and “steal” from the taxpayer?

With all that is going on I just don’t see this manufactured outrage and claims of theft because these people are too cheap to shell out $1,000 plus to rent a room.

[DemocracyMouse]

40. $1,000 plus??? You haven't been homeless in a big city. Double that for the DC area

[DURHAM D]

42. They don't have to pay for electricy.

Last edited Tue Mar 6, 2018, 01:06 PM - Edit history (1)

They don't pay for heating/gas.
They don't pay a water bill.
They don't pay for internet.
They don't pay for television.
Their laundry is done for free.
They shower and work-out in the House gym.
They get free breakfasts.
They get free hair cuts.
They have free uniformed security.
They don 't pay parking for their vehicle. Actually, most don't have cars and are driven around by government employees.


Meanwhile, regular citizens and Hill staffers pay for all of these things out of their own pocket.

[Action_Patrol]

43. I didnt say they are stealing

I’m saying that they are avoiding paying rent and sleeping in an office. It’s just gross.

[SunSeeker]

48. It IS stealing. They are not paying for the extra use of utilities and wear and tear on the office.

The cleaning crew no doubt must spend MUCH more time cleaning up their office than those of representatives who don't sleep in their offices.

[brush]

46. They're getting free rent and utilities. Do they even have to pay for lunch in the House cafeteria?

[IronLionZion]

4. Why don't they just build an apartment building for these people?

We will always have congresspeople. They will always need a place to sleep. It's pricey for the ones from far away states to keep 2 homes so why not public housing apartments for DC near the Capitol?

[jberryhill]

6. That would make the most sense

Having a dormitory would save money and improve security.

[pangaia]

23. Can you see a republican sleeping in a dorm?

[GWC58]

32. Why not stay in their apt., or house?

[jberryhill]

34. Do you know how much those can cost in DC?

I would assume that a Congressional representative from Idaho does not stay in his/her apt. or house because it is in Idaho.

[sharedvalues]

15. Goal is to isolate, brainwash congresspeople

There’s a long tradition of conservatives coming to DC, learning about how the world works and becoming liberals. Justice Souter is a good example.

The office sleeping is to keep congresspeople isolated from the real world in dc, so the only thing they know is Fox News. We should make them live in the city.

[SunSeeker]

49. Even if not the goal, that is certainly the result. nt

[Action_Patrol]

33. They could use the House Page Dorm

Since that program no longer exists and the building is still there.

[Old Crank]

5. Send the Fire code inspectors after them.

Most jurisdictions you can't sleep in areas zoned and constructed as offices. Housing requires different fire safety amenities than office locations.

[greymattermom]

7. So is it legal

for anyone who has an office in DC to live in their office? Are they violating some sort of city ordinance?

[yallerdawg]

9. This is a ridiculous dodge.

Part of their salary is based on living expenses associated with having to maintain a sort of dual residence for the two years they have in office.

$174,000 a year and perks is not poverty wages. Spending every waking moment 'on the job' is not a requirement, and does not lead to more and better legislation as evidenced by the repeated silliness of what the House 'passes' most frequently.

The Capitol Building should not be a flophouse dorm for 'the best and the brightest' among us.

[bucolic_frolic]

10. Theft of services, charge them rent

or in Republican-speak, a user fee

They're using the utilities, facilities, carpets, chairs, water

Taxpayers are suffering accelerated depreciation on their invested capital in the offices they pay for

It could even be called theft of services in the real world

[mountain grammy]

11. Good, I'm glad the CBC is calling out these grifters.

Republican scum.

[Bettie]

12. So, they basically live in their offices?

Ugh. Weird.

Now, lying on the couch for a quick nap in the middle of a busy day?

Is this also part of the whole "we never, ever actually go out of session" thing?

[sharedvalues]

16. To keep them out of contact with poor people and the real world

Conservative propaganda only works if you’re never exposed to other ideas. Too many conservatives come to DC, learn about the world, and become liberals. So they want to keep people away from the city. That’s the main point. Cruz brags about it.

[brewens]

13. Probably mostly drunks. Starting early sneaking a little taste, a couple drinks at lunch,

then as soon as all business is done, pull a bottle out of the office stash and start really drinking. Once they're hammered, they don't dare show themselves. After they realize they don't make it home most of the time anyway, they let their DC residence go.

[annabanana]

14. Sorry.. This seems a diversion of energy when there's

SO MUCH to do to try and save Democracy...

just my 2¢

[sharedvalues]

17. Long term play to break the conservative propaganda bubble

[malthaussen]

18. I'd use stronger terms...

... ones with more expleltives in them. What a waste of time and energy.

-- Mal

[sharedvalues]

19. Its a smart anti-propaganda play.

Get Congress people out into the city where they can mingle with regular folks and half will turn into liberals. Billionaires depend on keeping conservatives isolated from the real world. That’s why many conservatives have never traveled abroad either.

[Duppers]

22. +100

Thank you! I totally agree. Who cares where they sleep. This is a silly thing to make a fuss about. They should please get on with fighting the real problems these assholes are causing.

[bpj62]

20. Page Dorms

Congress ended the page program but they still have the dorms which are located a few blocks from the Capitol. It is truly weird that they sleep in thier offices. They aren't saving the taxpayers any money . Housing isnt cheap in the DC are but $174,000.00 a year will get you a nice rental anywhere in DC or Virginia. As a lifelong resident of the DMV area I can tell you that misst of Congress lived in Montgomery County Maryland or Fairfax Virginia. As the Capital Hill area became gentrified some members have moved into homes in that area. Dick Armey was a weirdo who slept on a cot in the House Gym.

[usaf-vet]

21. NAME names! Are they collecting a daily per diem

So what would happen to an employee of a business. If everyday he took home office supplies for his wife's small home based business. Tell me how that is different than this?

It is no wonder they all feel entitled. And most walk away as millionaires from their time serving in Congress.

[brush]

47. Exactly. They're pocketing rent money factored into their salary, not to mention utilities, etc.

[Cosmocat]

24. RUN GOVERNMENT LIKE A BUSINESS!

SO ...

What would happen if a person slept overnight at their office?

[Liberty Belle]

26. Duncan Hunter was sleeping in his office:

http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/watchdog/sdut-hunter-bunks-his-office-washington-2012jun26-story.html

Even before he got in trouble with a criminal probe accusing him of stealing money from his campaign for personal uses.

There's also that Politico article accused him of drinking on the job and womanizing: https://www.politico.com/story/2018/02/08/duncan-hunter-campaign-funds-fbi-397621

While occasionally staying over after over-imbibing or just plain fatigue is probably a good idea (who wants drunk legislators on the roadways?) making a Congressional office home just seems odd and sort of cheap.

I agree with the poster above who suggested dorm-style housing for new legislators who don't want to pay hefty rents, but charge them something for this, it shouldn't be scott free.

[True Blue American]

44. Thank you

There have also been stories of partying in the rooms. Remember the cases of beer brought in when Repucans gutted the ACA, celebrated that in front of the White House?

Excesses me but I found that very upsetting, considering all the the disabled protesting that in the hallways of Congress.

[IthinkThereforeIAM]

27. Here is some insight, if not revulsion...

... Rep. Krissy Noem, SD, is from a farm subsidy rich family farm(she calls it a ranch so she seems C&W enough for west river South Dakota) and family insurance agency in northeast South Dakota. Yet she lives in her congressional office? Meetings where she rolled around on the couch in her... oh nevermind!

"Noem sleeps on a pullout in her office. She described her morning routine this way:

“There’s a gym in the basement, so I get up in the morning and go down to the member’s gym and work out with a group of people,” she said. “And then I go to the women’s gym and shower and put my makeup on and stuff and come back up here and get dressed.”

…The most prominent member of this “Couch Caucus”? Newly minted House Speaker Paul Ryan, who’s been sleeping in his office for years."

[link:http://dakotafreepress.com/2015/12/27/noem-ryan-shack-up-on-capitol-hill/|

[LakeArenal]

28. They also have a per diems....

Per diems are paid for this type expense. So if they stay on the office, they still get their per diems. More of our money in their pockets. There is probably a lot of corruption in the expense accounts. I wish it were all public recorded.

[bottomofthehill]

37. US House and Senate members

Do not get a DC per diem.

[Renew Deal]

30. There are some good reasons why this shouldn't be permitted

I know the DC market is tough. There should be some housing or something set aside for congress people, but I'm sure the US gov't doesn't want to run dorms.

Maybe the stipend should be enough to cover average rent in DC/VA.

[BlancheSplanchnik]

31. It may seem like a trivial diversion,

But any way of lowering the boom on repuke cheating is a long-term good.

Normalizing their attitudes needs to be reversed.

[politicaljunkie41910]

45. Didn't Paul Ryan began the practice. I recall 60 Minutes doing a feature story about him when he

was a newby congressman in charge of the Budget. My thought then was, if the person who's in charge of the budget can't figure out how to pay for his own personal living accommodations on the salary he receives, than why is he in charge of the Budget. This began the practice of new members choosing to no longer relocating their families to Washington where they develop a rapport with their community and their fellow congressional members on both sides of the aisle because they had a sense of commonality with their fellow members of congress. Now the majority of congressmen and women fly into DC on Mondays and leave Thursday evenings (supposedly on Fridays) to return to their homes, and collecting Per Diem for living expenses incurred during the week.

Now they sleep in their offices (where they also grope their employees), workout and shower in the Congressional Gym, and eat their meals in the Congressional Dining Room all paid for by Tax Payers.