Mixed Messages On Possible Resolution

New laws meant to keep high-flying Congressional lawmakers closer to the ground -- and off high-dollar planes paid for by lobbyists and special interests -- has had an opposite effect for a Minnesota representative who travels in his own Beech Bonanza.

The Minneapolis Star-Tribune reports Collin Peterson uses the plane to commute to and from his district... but since last month, he's been grounded, as the laws enacted by his fellow Democratic lawmakers mean he can no longer be reimbursed for his Beech business trips.

"It's a pretty stupid deal," said Peterson, who is also the new chairman of the House Agriculture Committee.

"I threatened to put in a bill to make it illegal for any member to drive their own car until we got this fixed," Peterson added. "And I told Nancy Pelosi that if she didn't get this fixed, I was going to quit and there was going to be a Republican in my place, that if I couldn't fly I wasn't going to do this anymore. She just kind of looked at me -- she said it'll be fixed."

Of course, the new House Speaker has some plane problems of her own... with many criticizing her request to use larger military aircraft to fly back-and-forth from Washington and her home in San Francisco, CA. Pelosi has argued she needs planes with the ability to fly cross-country nonstop, and carry staffmembers along for the ride.

Peterson also used his Bonanza to travel throughout the 35 counties that make up the Seventh Congressional District, one of the nation's largest. In the past, he was reimbursed for miles flown.

"A plane has made it possible for him to be up in Roseau in the morning, Marshall in the midafternoon and then back up to Warroad at night," Peterson's chief of staff, Mark Brownell, told the Star-Tribune.

When Peterson sought help from Florida Representatives Alcee Hastings, he was told Hastings -- a member of the House Rules Committee -- agrees the new rule shouldn't apply to the approximately half-dozen House members who fly their own planes.

"It is not intended to apply to a member who is using her or his own airplane, whether or not it is on his personal campaign or official business," Hastings said.

But Peterson (right) says he's getting conflicting messages about that. House administration officials have told him he may continue to be reimbursed; the Ethics Committee says no dice. So, for the moment, Peterson is relegated to staying on the ground -- or, flying commercially.

"They didn't know anything about airplanes, the people who were writing this, and they didn't talk to me," Peterson said. "I haven't asked for any money for it. It could be that I can't even legally fly my own plane even if I don't ask anybody to pay for it, which would be kind of crazy."

FMI: http://collinpeterson.house.gov/