Freshman Blake Farenthold (D-TX)
Posted on 11/29/2010 12:15:04 PM PST by SeekAndFind
WASHINGTON—Of the 94 incoming members of the House of Representatives, 90% are Republicans, nearly 40% have law degrees and about 35% have never before held elective office.
Oh, and at least 15% plan to bed down in their congressional offices.
It's the ultimate I'm-not-a-professional-politician statement, reminiscent of the 1994 midterm elections, when a GOP House takeover led to a surge in House sleepovers.
With voters again shunning Washington and fiscal excess, a number of incoming House members plan to demonstrate their scorn for both by camping out near their new desks. Many more are still undecided but may well join the sleep-sofa caucus.
"Since I'm here on a temporary basis, I don't see any need to have a permanent kind of residence," says Rep.-elect Joe Heck, Nevada Republican, who was thinking roll-out cot when he looked at office space this month.
Earlier this month, freshman lawmakers drew lots and chose three-room suites they and their aides will inhabit in one of three House office buildings.
For many of them, a key selling point was not proximity to the House chamber, where they'll vote, but to the House gym, where they'll shower.
Rep.-elect Tim Griffin, an Army reservist, stood near the gym in the Rayburn House Office Building and used some compass software on his phone to navigate the paths to potential offices.
"We want to get as close to Rayburn as possible," Mr. Griffin, an Arkansas Republican, told an aide. "I've got to walk all the way down this hall in the morning."
He settled on a suite in the Longworth building with plenty of space for the six-foot sofa he says will be his bed for the foreseeable future. "I don't want to see you in your bathrobe," Rep.-elect Cory Gardner (R., Colo.), a non-office sleeper, told Mr. Griffin
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
The names are changed is all.
I don’t blame them. You would not believe the rents in Washington, DC and close-in Virginia and Maryland. People who didn’t buy a house 15 years ago are screwed. Don’t believe me? Look at craigslist dc apartments for rent and see what you get for the money.
I once took a job and had to relocate until school was over and my family could join me. It was a well-paying, high-profile job. I slept in the office for two months. It’s a horrible lifestyle, but it can be done, particularly if your goal is to get the job done and not live for perks.
Freshman Blake Farenthold (D-TX)
Farenthold is a Republican (not a Dem) ... and a GOOD one, Replacing Soloman Ortiz
TT
And now Dinghy Harry will complain about the smell of the people in Congress as well as those visiting.
Doh!
I knew that, and slipped when I wrote it.
Make it part of their compensation and require them to live there while Congress is in session...nothing fancy,no frills but livable.
It was good enough for me when I joined the Navy back in the 50's...it should be good enough for them now.
Bwaney Fwank suppowts youw pwopozzle.
Wonder where the young female staffers stay? Just wondering.
Congressmen Alert: Bwaney Fwank has a key to all the Congressional offices.
Agreeing with the second post, they do this story every two years. The truth is the Congresscritters need their locker room for nothing more than the typical “weiner bumps” so popularized by Rahm Emanuel.
Exactly my first impression. In addition, always be suspicious of the guy who never leaves work and works through the holidays.
Big Time Photoshop
It will be safer now with Rahm Emanuel out of Washington.
Nope, it's for real. It was a birthday party of a friend, where they raised funds for a charity.
It's not the only picture, either.
Farenthold's opponent (former incumbent Solomon Ortiz) tried to make a big deal about it.
” Congressmen Alert: Bwaney Fwank has a key to all the Congressional offices.”
ROTFLOL!!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.