CNN: Pensions for convicted lawmakers draw watchdogs' ire

Pensions for convicted lawmakers draw watchdogs' ire
January 3, 2007
By Drew Griffin and Kathleen Johnston

(CNN) -- As Democrats pledge to clean up Congress when they take control this week, public interest groups are urging them to add one more item to their ethics reform list: Stop rewarding crooked colleagues.

Led by the conservative National Taxpayers Union, two dozen watchdog groups of all political stripes say it's time to stop making taxpayers pay the pensions of lawmakers who are convicted of or plead guilty to crimes committed while in office.

For example, Republican Rep. Randall "Duke" Cunningham of California, who pleaded guilty in 2005 to tax evasion and conspiracy to accept bribes and kickbacks from contractors he was voting to give government business, will pocket an estimated $64,000 annual government pension while serving eight years in a North Carolina federal prison....

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They come from both sides of the political aisle. James Traficant, a former Democratic representative from Ohio who was convicted of bribery, racketeering and tax evasion, is serving eight years in a Minnesota prison and getting an estimated $40,000 pension. Former Republican Sen. David Durenberger of Minnesota, who pleaded guilty to fraud in 1995 and served a year's probation, receives an estimated $86,000 a year, according to the National Taxpayers Union.

The figures are estimates because Congress keeps the amount of all federal pensions secret. Pensions are based on years in office and any contribution the officeholder might make. But most of the money comes straight out of taxpayers' coffers. Right now, federal law stipulates the only grounds to strip a congressional member of his or her pension is treason. Admitting to being a common crook does not cause forfeiture of the pension....

http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/01/03/congressional.pensions/index.html

I think I saw someone on TV tonight say Nancy Pelosi says they will look into this.

They ripped off the public and get rewarded for it?!!

short term dollars. That'd be a good, tangible disply of ethics reform that every Congressperson ought to endorse....those that wouldn't, well, you know who the bribable ones are then.

(regardless of party affiliation --- Republican or Democrat) the monies should be used for something worthwhile: Katrina victims; the surviving familes of brave American soldiers slaughtered in Bush's war in Iraq; perhaps in a Fund earmarked to teach Civics once again in our schools with special emphasis on the Constitution and upholding it.

Give 'em term limits 10 years MAX.. no pensions. They can damned well go back to whatever their "career" was before they picked pockets for billions of "campaignin' loot".

We have enough talented people in this country to "do the work of the people". The elite "career-politician-for-life" is what's killing this country.

I know that some will attack me because we would lose people like kennedy, Byrd, Conyers etc..but does anyone really think that the wacky maze of intermingled, layered upon layer snarl of laws we have, are doing most of us any good?

This whole system needs a massive overhaul. ...law by law and update,toss out, renovate...whatever..

Senate should be two 5 yr terms max
House should be two 4 year terms max

If a congressperson wants to run for senate after his/her 8 yrs, they could qualify for pension..same for senate to house.

At least by changing from place to place there would be a constant mix (moving targets for would-be money flingers)

and of course if any pension was earned, and a conviction was handed down..say buh-byee to that pension//

:applause:

The pension ban should be extended to those who resign, or go to treatment before they are convicted. (i.e. Foley, who AFAIK, will still receive his pension).

The Democratic Party is a BIG TENT, but there is NO ROOM for those
who advance the agenda of THE RICH (Corporate Owners) at the EXPENSE of LABOR and the POOR.