CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) — The U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Ethics says former Republican Virginia Rep. Thomas Garrett misused staffers for tasks such as dog sitting and buying him cigarettes.
The Daily Progress reports the committee released its report Wednesday, just before Garrett’s Thursday departure from the House. The report says Garrett apparently “did not understand or appreciate” the limits on staffers helping with tasks that didn’t support his official duties.
Politico published an article in May detailing allegations of staff misuse by Garrett and his wife. Garrett soon announced he wouldn’t be seeking re-election, citing his struggle with alcoholism.
The committee in June then launched an expedited investigation, which it says was delayed by staffers and the Garretts refusing to cooperate.
Garrett says the report is based on “half-truths and whole lies.”
From the story, it sounds like things that were hardly worth worrying about. I mean, if he asked a staffer who likes dogs to take his pooch home for the weekend, is that really so bad? It might be over the line, but there are far worse things being done all the time. And if he asked an aide to stop on the way back from lunch to buy some cigs–for which he paid–is that really corruption?
There is SO much corruption in government that we should concentrate attention on the important stuff, not the little things.
Yesterday’s man…would rather read snippets from a half-dozen of today’s House freshman class.
dog sitting and buying him cigarettes
Obviously, Mr. Garrett won’t make it into the GOP Grifting Hall of Fame…
At least Rep. Garrett didn’t have his staffers buy cigarettes for the dog.
Now if there had been some way the Rep. Garrett could have told his side…sad that.