Senators Grassley and Sessions Write Letter to 9th Judical Court of Appeals Chief Judge

     U.S. Sen. Charles Grassley of Iowa, ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions of Alabama, ranking member of the Senate Budget Committee, released a letter today to Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Chief Judge Alex Kozinski concerning a planned judicial conference in Maui, Hawaii.
     A previous Ninth Circuit conference, also held in Maui, cost taxpayers more than $1.1 million in travel and accommodation expenses alone.
     Statements from Grassley and Sessions follow:
     "Technology is so advanced that people are earning college degrees online and soldiers serving halfway across the world use Skype with their families at home," Grassley said. "Likewise, a judicial circuit should be capable of using technology to share information without requiring a trip to an island paradise. It's especially tone-deaf to plan a pricey conference after the GSA debacle...."
     "This conference is further evidence the federal government is in a state of financial chaos," Sessions said. "How can anyone in Washington ask for more taxes when this culture of excess continues?..At this time of fiscal crisis, America needs leadership that will restore accountability and ensure a disciplined budget is adopted at last."
     The conference is being held over four days in mid-August at the Hyatt Regency Maui, where rooms for participants range between $230 and $250 per night, according to the conference website. Grassley and Sessions say it will cost $500,000 alone for hotel rooms for the expected 700 participants.
     Obviously the senators are criticising the planned judicial event based upon the experience of the Senate itself.
     A "senior Senate delegation" travelled to China in April, 2011 for "an informational trip throughout China." It was led by Senator Harry Reid. Other senators who travelled with him were Dick Durbin, Barbara Boxer, Charles Schumer, Frank Lautenberg, Jeff Merkley, Michael Bennet, Richard Shelby, Mike Enzi and Johnny Isakson. They planned "site visits of American investments and clean-energy projects." They intended to discuss "the global economy, security, trade, currency and foreign policy."
     A separate five-member group of senators went for a weeklong trip to South Korea "to discuss trade matters," and then to an undisclosed location in the Far East. This delegation was led by Mitch McConnell and included Rob Portman, Mike Johanns, John Hoeven and Jerry Moran.
     Spouses of senators went along by military jet.
     A constituent of Sen. Grassley twitted: "If the shoe fits, wear it." Sen. Grassley replied: "It does. Sessions and I are planning a Paris, London, Vienna, Rome trade mission for Christmas break."
     A constituent of Sen. Sessions twitted: "Lead by example." Sen. Sessions replied: "We always do."
     New York State $en. $ham twittered: "You have made Senate hypocrisy a noble undertaking, as it should be, under these circumstances."
      View the Grassley-Sessions letter at:  http://budget.senate.gov/republican/public/index.cfm/files/serve/?File_id=fca2c254-44e5-4d9c-8faf-33894bf0c4fa
     View the news release of the April 2011 senate junkets at:
http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/news/us/junket-takes-senators-to-china-294352/?print
     Regional Commissioner Jeff Neely leaves GSA:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/jeffrey-neely-who-organized-lavish-gsa-conference-leaves-agency/2012/05/24/gJQAgU5WoU_story.html?wpisrc=nl_headlines