This story is tickling my funny bone.
ThinkProgress examined spending records for the 112th Congress and found seven GOP freshmen — Reps. Chip Cravaack (R-MN), Sean Duffy (R-WI), Bill Flores (R-TX), Cory Gardner (R-CO), Bill Johnson (R-OH), Mike Pompeo (R-KS), and Steve Womack (R-AR) — who had spent an average of $15,000 on cars for themselves. All together, their taxpayer bill totaled $106,643.
There is nothing illegal about the practice of using taxpayer money to lease personal-use cars, but it smacks of hypocrisy for Tea Partiers like Duffy who promised to “lead by example” when it comes to deficit reduction.
That's not the only reason this story is particularly amusing for Rep. Sean Duffy.
As you may recall, Sean Duffy of Wisconsin is the man who said he was "struggling" on his salary of $174,000 per year, and that the federal government should cut spending just like his family has been forced to cut spending. And apparently the way to do that is to have taxpayers pay for your car.
I just had a flashback of all the "belt tightening" talk during the summer of deficit hysteria last year and now I need a drink.