Re: Train wreck just on

deepwaterdotter · ‎03-09-2010

@sidsmom Wow, what beautiful and luxurious surroundings! Makes me wish I had something of value that the lobbyist institute desired.

ms traditional · ‎03-09-2010

both parties have had retreats at Greenbrier. it is now owned by the WVa governor.

Drythe · ‎07-09-2011

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I know this was a long planned retreat. Maybe taking the train was a way to have a bit of conviviality during the trip.
@Drytheboth parties do policy retreats this time every year. Dems are up in Maryland now, i think. families are involved, staff, security, medical personnel so they shuttle people in by train or sometimes a convoy of buses.

fortunately there were a lot of R representativess/senators on board who are docs, nurses. there were about 200 people that needed to be checked for concussion etc, not to mention the truck crew.

an awful accident. i hadn't heard that the crossing arms were down. we'll see. one of the Congressman on board is on Transportation Committee so i imagine investigation will ensue pronto.

@ms traditional

? I don’t understand why you sent this to me.
@Drythe because you made comment on their taking the train (for conviviality). i think it could be for convenience, security, etc. just following up and adding on other info.

@ms traditional

Oh, so that's what it was.

"Animals are not my whole world, but they have made my world whole" ~ Roger Caras

ValuSkr · ‎03-15-2014

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the Greenbrier was built by CSX (railroad) -and the railroad tracks go right to the resort - all very convenient for DC types.

And from the looks of it, very expensive.
@Noel7, I was wondering who was paying for this. According to NPR it’s being hosted by a lobbyist institute who will have access to the lawmakers during the three-day retreat.

Good strategy. Our elected representatives may be more receptive to the lobbyists' cause after an all-expense-paid retreat at The Greenbrier. What a boondoggle.

MorningLover · ‎10-04-2015

Congressional Republicans’ annual retreat, which is hosted by the Congressional Institute, is an opportunity for GOP lawmakers to plan out their legislative agenda for the year.

Founded in 1987, the Congressional Institute is a not-for-profit corporation dedicated to helping Members of Congress better serve their constituents and helping their constituents better understand the operations of the national legislature. The Institute sponsors major conferences for the benefit of Members of the U.S. Congress .

https://www.conginst.org/about/

Mardie · ‎03-14-2010

I hope no one minds if I make a shallow comment that has nothing to do with this tragedy--Senator Jeff Flake is a very handsome man and I drooled over him while he was commenting on the events. There, I got that out of my system. I feel very badly for the truck driver's family and the other people who were injured.

I'm still drooling over Jeff Flake.

::d&r::

Verdana · ‎02-21-2013

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Congressional Republicans’ annual retreat, which is hosted by the Congressional Institute, is an opportunity for GOP lawmakers to plan out their legislative agenda for the year.
Founded in 1987, the Congressional Institute is a not-for-profit corporation dedicated to helping Members of Congress better serve their constituents and helping their constituents better understand the operations of the national legislature. The Institute sponsors major conferences for the benefit of Members of the U.S. Congress .
https://www.conginst.org/about/

Good to know. Also:

"The Congressional Institute has drawn interest as a conduit through which lobbyists exert their influence without abiding by ethics rules. Ethics rules prohibit lobbyists from directly financing trips for members of Congress, but there are no such prohibitions on travel provided by nonprofit charitable and educational groups. According to a 2005 examination of congressional travel performed by the St. Petersburg Times, lobbyists often dominate the boards of directors of tax-exempt, nonprofit groups like the Congressional Institute, that take lawmakers on trips and retreats.

While the practice abides by the letter of the law, transparency advocates point out that the activities of these groups make a mockery of the intent of the law, and that the practice is "just one more faucet pouring big money into politics.""(Sourcewatch)

Noel7 · ‎03-09-2010

Thanks for that post @Verdana

I would like to say more, but I won't.

Isobel Archer · ‎04-04-2015

wrote:
wrote:

Congressional Republicans’ annual retreat, which is hosted by the Congressional Institute, is an opportunity for GOP lawmakers to plan out their legislative agenda for the year.
Founded in 1987, the Congressional Institute is a not-for-profit corporation dedicated to helping Members of Congress better serve their constituents and helping their constituents better understand the operations of the national legislature. The Institute sponsors major conferences for the benefit of Members of the U.S. Congress .
https://www.conginst.org/about/

Good to know. Also:
"The Congressional Institute has drawn interest as a conduit through which lobbyists exert their influence without abiding by ethics rules. Ethics rules prohibit lobbyists from directly financing trips for members of Congress, but there are no such prohibitions on travel provided by nonprofit charitable and educational groups. According to a 2005 examination of congressional travel performed by the St. Petersburg Times, lobbyists often dominate the boards of directors of tax-exempt, nonprofit groups like the Congressional Institute, that take lawmakers on trips and retreats.
While the practice abides by the letter of the law, transparency advocates point out that the activities of these groups make a mockery of the intent of the law, and that the practice is "just one more faucet pouring big money into politics.""(Sourcewatch)

Isn't this a political post?

Lucky Charm · ‎03-09-2010

wrote:
wrote:
wrote:

Congressional Republicans’ annual retreat, which is hosted by the Congressional Institute, is an opportunity for GOP lawmakers to plan out their legislative agenda for the year.
Founded in 1987, the Congressional Institute is a not-for-profit corporation dedicated to helping Members of Congress better serve their constituents and helping their constituents better understand the operations of the national legislature. The Institute sponsors major conferences for the benefit of Members of the U.S. Congress .
https://www.conginst.org/about/

Good to know. Also:
"The Congressional Institute has drawn interest as a conduit through which lobbyists exert their influence without abiding by ethics rules. Ethics rules prohibit lobbyists from directly financing trips for members of Congress, but there are no such prohibitions on travel provided by nonprofit charitable and educational groups. According to a 2005 examination of congressional travel performed by the St. Petersburg Times, lobbyists often dominate the boards of directors of tax-exempt, nonprofit groups like the Congressional Institute, that take lawmakers on trips and retreats.
While the practice abides by the letter of the law, transparency advocates point out that the activities of these groups make a mockery of the intent of the law, and that the practice is "just one more faucet pouring big money into politics.""(Sourcewatch)

Isn't this a political post?