Group names Ron Paul one of "Most Corrupt" list

Republican presidential candidate Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, speaks to his supporters following his loss in the Maine caucus to Mitt Romney, Saturday, Feb. 11, 2012, in Portland, Maine. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty) less Republican presidential candidate Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, speaks to his supporters following his loss in the Maine caucus to Mitt Romney, Saturday, Feb. 11, 2012, in Portland, Maine. (AP Photo/Robert F. ... more Photo: Robert F. Bukaty, STF Photo: Robert F. Bukaty, STF Image 1 of / 25 Caption Close Group names Ron Paul one of "Most Corrupt" list 1 / 25 Back to Gallery

Ron Paul, a longtime champion of government accountability, was given a "dishonorable mention" by a government watchdog group in its annual list of "Most Corrupt Members of Congress" released yesterday.

The report from the Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington highlights allegations of unethical behavior by members of Congress. CREW blew the whistle on the 12-term Republican representative from Lake Jackson for allegedly double-billing travel expenses between Washington, D.C., and his home district on Texas's Gulf Coast.

CREW, a Washington-based nonprofit, cited reports by Roll Call that accused Paul of billing both his tax-payer funded congressional allowance and libertarian non-profit groups such as the Liberty Committee for trips made between 1999 and 2009.

"Rep. Paul has continually called on Congress to audit the Federal Reserve, but apparently somebody needs to take a closer look at his financial records," CREW Executive Director Melanie Sloan said in a statement issued upon the release of the report. "It's absurd that Rep. Paul was able to engage in this scheme for so long without anyone noticing. The House should conduct a full investigation to ensure taxpayers are compensated for every dollar he misappropriated."

President of the Liberty Committee David James said his organization reimbursed Paul for trips made to give speeches or attend events in which the congressman supported the committee, some of which Paul made to Washington while congress was not in session. James described Paul as a "great asset" to the committee.

However, according to an audit conducted by the Liberty Committee, 60 percent of the travel expenses Paul charged to the organization were for trips made between Washington D.C. and his home district for official business, totaling $20,000 in expenses that are legally obligated to come out of his congressional budget, James said.

James maintains that Paul's transgression is two-fold, alleging that the congressman used private funding for official business and received dual reimbursements for dozens of trips.

"For a gentleman that is trying to have the Fed audited and is calling for government accountability, this would certainly be Ron's opportunity to live up to that and we're very disappointed that he is choosing not to," James said. "His response is just as upsetting as the double billing itself."

Paul's office declined to comment on the congressman's inclusion on the list.

In a previous story by Roll Call entitled, "Records Show Ron Paul Trips Paid Twice," Paul's office dismissed the double billings as "wholly inadvertent errors were made in a handful of instances" maintaining that no tax-payer dollars were intentionally missused.

James said the only other billing issue his organization had with Paul was a incident of doubling billing in 2005, which Paul's office reimbursed after seeing the appropriate documentation.

Upon request, the Liberty Committee provided Paul's office with the documentation detailing the decade of billing issues, but did not receive a response from the congressman, James said. The committee also faxed the information to Paul's office and sent a certified letter in June, which was received, but not responded to.

"His silence on the subject is his response," James said.

The Liberty Committee still is deliberating whether or not to press charges.

Paul has a lengthy history of supporting small government and criticizing Washington for misusing tax dollars. Earlier this week he bashed both parties for wasting millions on their respective nominating conventions in a Texas Straight Talk column.

Though CREW is legally nonpartisan, Republicans frequently complain that it tilts to the left. The "most corrupt" list includes lawmakers from both parties.

The former presidential candidate, who is set to retire at the end of the year, is one of 13 Republicans and seven Democrats named to this year's Most Corrupt Members of Congress list.