It’s been tough times for investigative journalists lately. But is Speaker Nancy Pelosi coming to the rescue?
In a letter to the Chief Administrative Officer of the House posted on her blog, the Speaker has directed that the quarterly disbursement statements of members of the House be posted online. The statements document the expenditures of every congressional office. Currently, they’re only available by going in person to Congress’s Legislative Resource Center.
It’s worth noting that the British government has recently been rocked by a scandal involving personal expenses that members of Parliament charged to taxpayers, and which led to the resignation of the Speaker of the House of Commons (a far less powerful post than the U.S. Speaker).
Pelosi wrote in the letter:
The House is making every effort to operate in a transparent manner and online publication of these reports will expand accountability to taxpayers and the press.
We’re looking forward to digging in once the records are posted. And we’re betting we’re not the only ones.