Tax Dollars at Work
| AP |
If Rep. William Jefferson, D-La., who was indicted last week, goes to prison, he might only have to wait less than two years before he can stuff another $90,000 in his freezer.
Rep. Mark Kirk, R-Ill., noted on the House floor last week that, because Congress has yet to yank pensions from members convicted of felonies, the nine-term Jefferson “would get $50,000 payments each year from the U.S. taxpayer. That would be on top of $125,000 payments to Rep. Dan Rostenkowski, $86,000 payments to Sen. David Durenberger, $64,000 payments to Rep. Randy Cunningham and $40,000 payments to Rep. James Traficant. In total, American taxpayers pay over $480,000 each year to congressmen convicted of a felony.”
