Your $ at Work:Peter King Buys Reelection, Influence for Rudy Giuliani; Skimps on Staff Salary

Via Newsday, we learn a few things about how Peter King spent the $1M your federal tax dollars helped finance. First off, King's cheap when it comes to paying staff salaries:

King (R-Seaford) was the most frugal of the local members, paying his staff a total of $659,391 in 2006.

Nevertheless, King runs an office of bloat, racking up the highest costs on Long Island:

Rent, telephone and office supply bills ranged from a total of $180,784 for McCarthy to $304,696 for King.

Not surprising that a Republican like King would undervalue those that actually run the halls of Congress on a daily basis, while also spending way too much. King doesn't scrimp when it comes to ensuring his own reelection though:

King and Bishop (D-Southampton), who both faced tougher re-election bids than other local members, spent much more on sending mail.

Bishop spent $131,772 and King $157,889...

You know those glossy fliers you throw straight into recycling? Well, campaigns spend good money for those, and $158K is a HUGE mail buy. Except this time, YOU pay the bill for "King '06".

Buying reelection with your money is one thing, but can you believe King is buying political clout too?

His smaller staff payroll included $17,000 for two family members of 9/11 victims to act as homeland security advisers during his tenure as the chairman of the Homeland Security Committee.

Firefighter Ken Haskell and former president of the Uniformed Firefighters Association Jimmy Boyle are longtime friends of the congressman and were the most vocal 9/11 family members supporting President George W. Bush in his 2004 re-election campaign.

King said the pair attended and coordinated meetings and homeland security training sessions for him, provided information on the needs of the firefighting communities and acted as a liaison for other families of 9/11 victims.

Aand cue the freakin' alarm bells.. Active Bush campaigners? Smells like patronage to me. More importantly, the major conflict of interest at play. As Chairman/Ranking Member of the Homeland Security Committee, Peter King relies upon First Responders for credibility. Using YOUR $, King provided $17K to a well-connected former Union Boss. Peter King plays a prominent role both in his capacity as Ranking Member of Homeland, and leading the push for Rudy Giulani's Presidential campaign. Given this, it's highly unethical that he provides a salary, at your expense, to a powerful constituency for both himself and Rudy Giuliani.

Today Peter King has the gall to suggest:

""I think I'm protecting the integrity of the committee"

by working to keep Rep. Jefferson, FBI-investigated Democrat, and congressman from Katrina-ravaged New Orleans. I do agree with King that an ethically challenged Congressman has no place sitting on Homeland Security.

That's why Peter King should STEP DOWN IMMEDIATELY. He is buying influence from firefighters, and last year denied the fact that his family lobbies for a firm involved with business in front of the very committee he chaired. Peter King's ethical lapses are just too much to risk when it comes to Homeland Security.