Sensenbrenner frequent (free) flyer

A non-partisan good government group has just released a report on members of Congress who have had their travel paid for by private corporations and non-profits.

Ranking No. 1 in the last five years: Wisconsin Rep. F. James Sensenbrenner, chair of the House Judiciary Committee.

Sensenbrenner has taken 19 trips valued at about $168,000. That's much bigger than the tab run up by the ethically challenged Tom DeLay, with 14 trips costing $95,000.

Where'd he go? Like the old song, "I Been Everywhere, Man" -- I been to Tokyo, Munich, Vegas, New Orleans; Paris, Brussels, Singapore and Vegas (again); Hong Kong, Singapore, Taipei, Bangkok; and a whole lot of other places, too.

Who paid the tab? Groups that have been known to have some interest in legislation -- National Assn. of Broadcasters, National Cable and Telecommunications Assn., the International Management and Development Institute; even the Islamic Free Market Institute Foundation. (Lobbyists are barred from paying for trips. But organizations which pay lobbyists are not. Quite a loophole.)

His wife, Cheryl Warren, tagged along to Qatar, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, Germany, France, Taiwan, Thailand, New Orleans and Las Vegas (twice).

It seems fair to point out that Sensenbrenner is not someone who needs subsidy. He's one of the heirs to the Kimberly Clark paper fortune; his grandfather invented Kotex. ("I've always been glad he didn't call them Sensenbrenners," F. Jim has been known to say in a rare moment of humor). With a net worth in the $10-million range, he could easily pay his own way. But he is notoriously tight-fisted with his personal finances.

So if the Recording Industry of America wants to pony up $11,685 to send him on a fact-finding trip to Taipei and Bangkok, why not take the freebie? No matter that the committee he chairs has jurisdiction over copyright issues, of no small concern to that group.

Sensenbrenner wasn't the only Badger traveling, but his total trips and costs dwarf the others.

David Obey took 13 trips at a cost of $73,299. Paul Ryan took 6 at a cost of $25,303. Tom Petri took 13 at a cost of $19,304. Mark Green took 2 at a cost of $15,318. Tammy Baldwin took 12 at a cost of $29,340. Ron Kind took 2 at a cost of $3,030. And Russ Feingold took 2 at a cost of $1095.

The names of Tom Barrett, Jerry Kleczka, and Herb Kohl did not turn up in the list, which covered 2000-2005, when all of them were serving.

Here's the full report. And a USA Today story.

In a related story, Members of Congress are rushing to amend their travel and campaign records, fearing that the controversy over House Majority Leader Tom DeLay will trigger an ethics war that will bring greater scrutiny to their own travel and official activities, the Washington Post reports. Story

UPDATE: Sensenbrenner leads the national AP story.