High Flying at Special Interests' Expense

The telecommunications industry shelled out $704,000 on 450 trips for lawmakers on a pair of committees that are supposed to keep watch on the industry. The most frequent flyer -- Rep Billy Tauzin (R-LA). He was chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. The Center for Public Integrity says Rep Tauzin took 87 trips at industry expense. He went to Las Vegas, San Diego, and New York on their dime -- actually on a lot of their dimes. CPI figures the industry spend $139,000 flying Rep Tauzin around. (Philadelphia Inquirer)