The one place that crime apparently does pay
Posted on Wednesday, November 26, 2008
How many of you believe crime doesn’t pay ?
Well, until recently, I was one of them. Now I know differently.
It seems that Sen. Ted Stevens, R-Alaska, who earlier this year was found guilty of seven counts of failing to report $ 250, 000 in gifts from an oil company executive, lost a bid for reelection.
But don’t worry about Old Ted. Despite his felony conviction — yes, felony — he is still eligible for his Senate pension of — wait for it — $ 122, 000 a year.
Isn’t this a great country ?
From what I have read, Congress, in 2007, passed a law that would deny such payments to senators convicted of felonies. Oh, did I fail to mention that Stevens was convicted of felonies, plural ?
But — and isn’t there always a “ but ” when we’re dealing with Congress — the law doesn’t go into effect until the seating of the 111 th Congress in January 2009.
Now, before you go all postal on poor Old Ted, you need to know this: He isn’t the only one we are paying.
Remember Rep. Daniel Rostenkowski, D-Ill. ? Several years ago, he was convicted of mail fraud. His estimated taxpayer-paid pension is $ 126, 000.
Are those the only ones, you ask ? No.
Rep. Randall “ Duke ” Cunningham, a California Republican, was found guilty in 2005, based on his pleading that way, of tax evasion and conspiracy to accept bribes from contractors. His annual free ride is worth about $ 64, 000.
Surely that’s the end of it, you might say.
Well, don’t call me “ Shirley, ” and no it’s not.
Do the names James Traficant or David Durenberger ring a bell ?
Traficant was a Democratic congressman from Ohio, convicted of bribery, racketeering and tax evasion. He actually went to prison for eight years and is receiving somewhere in the neighborhood of $ 40, 000 annually.
Durenberger, a Republican senator from Minnesota, was found guilty of fraud, served a year’s probation and now takes in $ 86, 000 a year.
It’s my understanding that as many as 20 of these people are out there still getting their tax-supported pension after being convicted of some pretty shady goings on.
I don’t know what it adds up to in dollars. But I do • Sen. Blanche L. Lincoln, 355 Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, D. C. 20510; or call (202 ) 224-4843. She also has an automatic email system at http: // lincoln. senate. gov / webform. ht ml. • Sen. Mark L. Pryor, 255 Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, D. C. 20510; or call (202 ) 224-2353. His automatic e-mail system is at http: // pryor. senate. gov / contact /. • Rep. John Boozman, 1519 Longworth House Office Building, Washington, D. C. 20515; call (202 ) 225-4301 or fax to (202 ) 225-5713. Boozman’s local office is at 213 W. Monroe, Suite K, Lowell, AR 72745. Phone (479 ) 725-0400 or fax to (479 ) 725-0408. You can get to his automatic e-mail system by going to www. boozman. house. gov / Co ntact /. Go ahead, give them a call, send a fax, send a letter or write an e-mail. Whichever way you choose, make your voice heard on this matter, and let’s do what we can to stop it. I want my money back !
• • • Douglas Grant is managing editor of The Weekly Vista. He has been a journalist since 1987 and worked in Virginia, North Carolina and Florida.
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