Lawmaker trips questioned

Expenses of Mich. congressmen's spouses paid; ethics panel signed off under House rules

Deb Price / Detroit News Washington Bureau

Washington -- Four Michigan congressmen took their wives on all-expense-paid domestic and international trips for work this year, raising questions among government watchdogs about the legal practice of outside groups paying for spouses' travel.

Reps. Gary Peters, D-Bloomfield Township; Fred Upton, R-St. Joseph; and Vern Ehlers, R-Grand Rapids, visited Israel, Spain and the Canadian Rockies, respectively, with their wives, according to travel documents they are required to file. The trips were paid for by outside groups. Rep. Pete Hoekstra, R-Holland, went to Colorado twice this year with his wife on trips paid for by outside groups.

Such trips aren't uncommon for House members and their spouses. The trips are allowed under House ethics rules adopted in 2007 in the wake of the Jack Abramoff lobbying scandal and were approved in advance by the House ethics committee. The rules scaled back the kind of free trips lawmakers can accept to reduce influence by special interests.

But some watchdogs question why the House rules continue to allow spouses' expenses to be covered, saying the practice should be banned.

"It smacks of a regal lifestyle that is beyond the access of ordinary citizens," said Craig Holman, a government affairs lobbyist at Public Citizen, a nonpartisan government watchdog.

Lawmakers defend the ethics rules, contending constituents benefit from spouses having knowledge about policy issues.

"It's useful to have a spouse along," Ehlers said. "People (in the district) ask her questions about issues. And I find it helpful to have her input."

Ehlers added his wife attended most of the events on education in Canada.

Peter Flaherty, president of the conservative watchdog National Legal and Policy Center, counters that if lawmakers want their spouses to go along on trips related to their congressional business, they should pay those expenses.

"I don't see why having a spouse on a fancy trip enhances what a member learns from the work part of the trip," Flaherty said. "Constituents want to know what their elected members think of issues, not the views of their spouses."

Seven of the state's 15 House members have taken trips paid for by outside groups in 2009, according to a review of their travel filings.

By far, the most frequent traveler was Rep. John Conyers, D-Detroit, who has taken seven trips paid by outside groups this year. He did not travel with his wife, former Detroit City Councilwoman Monica, and the trips were in the United States.

Conyers' trips -- which total $4,494 -- were for speaking engagements, including town hall meetings on health care.

Trips with spouses included:

• Peters and his wife, Colleen, traveled from Aug. 8-16 to Israel.

The American Israel Education Foundation, which educates members of Congress about U.S.-Israeli ties, paid for the $18,971 trip. The price included business class plane tickets costing $5,503 each.

"Many people in the local Jewish community strongly believe this trip, with dozens of other members and their spouses, is a very meaningful experience and encouraged both Gary and Colleen to attend," said Cullen Schwarz, Peters' press secretary.

"Given Israel's importance as an ally in security and economic matters, our office determined this would be a worthwhile experience," said Schwarz, adding that Peters has one of the largest Jewish constituencies in the country.

• Upton traveled from April 4-10 to Valencia, Spain, with his wife, Amey, on a trip paid for by the Aspen Institute, a nonpartisan educational group set up to offer public policy seminars to members of Congress.

The Aspen Institute paid $8,965 for the Uptons, including a pair of $3,561 plane tickets.

The seminar in Spain focused on energy issues, including the U.S. oil supply and renewable energy. Upton is the ranking Republican on the House Energy and Commerce Committee's subcommittee on energy and environment.

• Ehlers and wife, Johanna, traveled to Banff, Alberta, Aug. 17-22 for an Aspen Institute program on education. Ehlers sits on the House Education and Labor Committee.

The Aspen Institute picked up $5,245 in expenses, including plane tickets costing $1,322 each and $1,600 for lodging at the Rimrock Resort Hotel in the Canadian Rockies.

The couple stayed two days beyond the conference at personal expense, Ehlers said in his filings.

• Hoekstra took two privately funded trips to Colorado with his wife, Diane.

From March 6-8, the Hoekstras went to Denver on a $2,312 trip paid for by the Leadership Program of the Rockies. Hoekstra said he was invited as the ranking Republican on the House Intelligence Committee.

Hoekstra and his wife went to Beaver Creek, Colo., June 19-21 on a $2,841 trip paid for by the American Enterprise Institute, a nonpartisan conservative think tank. Hoekstra spoke on panels about a nuclear Iran, domestic instability in China and Russia and the future of conservatism.

dprice@detnews.com (202) 662-8736