TPMMuckraker

Pete Sessions’ Office Falsely Claims He Didn’t Know Stanford

Zachary Roth February 20, 2009, 10:13 AM

Here’s a fun one…

With lawmakers scrambling to distance themselves from Allen Stanford, Bloomberg reports:

Representative Pete Sessions, a Texas Republican, got $41,375 [from Stanford’s firm]. Spokeswoman Emily Davis said Sessions didn’t know Stanford personally.

But check out this picture we posted the other day. It’s from that 2005 junket that a group of lawmakers took to Antigua (paid for by the Stanford-linked Inter-American Economic Council) and it shows Sessions, now the NRCC chair, happily chatting with the cricket-loving billionaire.

And in 2006, Sessions’ chief of staff told Bloomberg that the two men did know each other — indeed, that Stanford asked Sessions to become a member of the Caribbean Caucus.

We’re guessing that Davis’ claim won’t remain operative too long. We’ve contacted her and will let you know what we hear.

Thanks to reader T.D. for the tip.

Late Update: Davis responded via email: “No comment.”