Relief money being used for.....LAP DANCES!!!!!! (Rep. Poe, Tx)

[paineinthearse]

Rep. Ted Poe (R-Tx) aledges gulf evacuees given emergency aid debit cards are using them at topless joints to buy admission and "emergency" lap dances!

Viewed this live on CSPAN.

I'm sure his office will have a press release, if there are any Texas district members here who can call and get/post one.

Otherwise, the transcript will be in Thomas tomorrow. Poe's floor statements are posted at http://www.house.gov/poe/speeches.htm, but today's speech is not yet there.



1605 Longworth HOB
Washington, D.C. 20515 202.225.6565
866.425.6565 (toll free)
202.225.5547 (fax)
20202 U.S. Highway 59 N.

Suite 105
Humble, TX 77338 281.446.0242
1.866.447.0242 (toll free)
281.446.0252 (fax)

2615 Calder
Suite 100
Beaumont, TX 77702 409.212.1997
1.877.218.1997 (toll free)
409.212.8711 (fax)


Edit - cross posted to the Texas forum.

[rodeodance]

1. maybe they got the money elsewhere?

[paineinthearse]

3. I may have heard incorrectly, but I got the distrinct impression he was

talking about cards issued as federal assistance.

[Sydnie]

5. No, you heard him correctly. n/t

[meisje]

4. Yeah that's the ticket

Why is it beyond belief that some of the people will waste the money on drugs, prostitutes and whatever.

[rkc3]

10. See, that's the problem with liberal ideas - give people money to

help them get by and when a few bad apples take advantage of this the conservatives will scream that the system is flawed. Never mind the vast majority of people have used the money to feed and clothe themselves - it's the bad apples who will get the majority of the press.

And while conservatives are screaming that public welfare is a bad idea, they will continue to hand out no-bid contracts to their supporters, pass corporate welfare legislation, and pass draconian laws that ruin the lives of millions of Americans.

Here's a big fuck you to Rep. Poe.

[rasputin1952]

26. That's the way it always goes. Try and get some sudafed in NE

these days for your sinuses, and you damn near have to fill out a form declaring your intentions. All because a relative few use the stuff to make methamphetamine, everyone else has to suffer through all kinds of hoops of fire.

The majority suffers when a few take advantage of a situation...:(

[rkc3]

34. The list is endless.

What's funny to me is that the Christian Right is completely aginst the Liberal Left.

They repeat the words of their savior, but cannot grasp their meaning.

Ideas like love thy neighbor, do unto others, the Sermon on the Mount, as you do to the least of my brethren - all are liberal ideas.

They spout their love for Jesus and at the same time will tell you that the people left behind in NO (many had no transportation) are there because they chose to stay behind and loot and should not be getting assistance. There is a big disconnect between their words and actions.

Poe is doing the same thing. Pointing out the bad apples at the expense of the entire population.

[rasputin1952]

55. You know, they have no concept of the Beatitudes...they rest everything

on OT 'vengeance' and the 'hostile God'...no concept of what Jesus spoke of at all.

They are blind, and will remain so until they realize that Christianity is a religion of forgiveness, empathy, compassion and a seeking for the higher plane of spiritual existence. They are mired in their own mud, and will not remove from their conscience, the hate and prejudice they subsist on.

It is a sad scenario...:(

[rkc3]

63. They have crafted a new version of Christianity.

I think it is based on being born-again, combined with OT retribution, and a Puritanical view on wealth and deservedness (you are wealthy because you are a good person - poor because you live an unholy life).

You are right it is a sad scenario.

I think guys like Jim Wallis, who wrote God's Politics, need to get more play in the mainstream before the situation improves.

[TrogL]

43. It's not even over-the-counter here - it's stocked on the shelves

[Sydnie]

2. I couldn't believe he was saying all that!

I just sat here and thought ... :wtf:

How does he know these card were "sold on the black market for drugs and 'street entertainment' (what ever the hell THAT is supposed to be)" You got an example Poe? Then point them out to us. Give us a name. Otherwise, shut the fuck up you ignorant asshat.

[tanyev]

6. Oh, I thought it was going to be the federal credit cards

whose limits got raised to 250K. That wouldn't surprise me a bit.

[Oreo]

7. Were those cards ever issued?

FEMA backed down from them and said they were only for the astrodome people and then didn't give them out. Did anybody get them? If they did, I'm sure it was a VERY small number.

[gasperc]

8. many of us predicted this, someone would go buy a TV etc

it was a fucking set-up, give them $2000 and see what they do with it and then nail them and BLAME THEM for the fraud and waste of the reconstruction and ignore the massive billion dollar no bid contracts the halliburton and others are getting

[peekaloo]

9. Ted Poe makes John Cornyn look scholarly.

Asshole.

[burythehatchet]

51. wow

never thought I'd see the words Cornyn and scholarly in the same sentence.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

11. Two words...PROVE IT

[ClintonTyree]

12. I wasn't aware lap dancers took debit cards......

great! I'm taking my debit card next time. Wait til' I put THAT in her G-String! There's an obvious joke here, but I'll refrain from posting it. Just use your imagination about swiping the card.

[ohio_liberal]

14. Those debit cards

...can they be used to get cash from an ATM machine? The local strip strip bars advertise that they have ATMs now.

I wouldn't begrudge a man who survived a hurricane a lap dance. :D

[izzybeans]

16. Aren't these machines attached to banks. When I pull out money from

an ATM anywhere it says the bank name and the fee I paid nothing else.

[ohio_liberal]

17. I don't know, never go to strip bars

I've used ATM machines in convenience stores and only the street address shows up on my statement. But yes, as I recall, the machines themselves have a bank name on them.

[izzybeans]

25. I guess I was assuming the one's in strip bars wouldn't be any different.

[TorchTheWitch]

48. They aren't

But clubs can have them rigged up any way they want... like if they want to put a certain cap on how much money someone can get per 24 hour period, they tack on HUGE fees for each transaction (typically $20 per transaction), and some clubs rig them so they don't spit out real money but club script (what we call "funny money") that can only be used in the club and sometimes only for certain things in the club.

And that's just the ATM's. I don't know of any club that can't deal with a credit card just like a store does.

[Drewskie]

38. Right....

If I had lost everything I'd probablay say fuck it and do the same. I'd do some drinking... that's for damn sure.

[ohio_liberal]

46. Oh hell yeah

I know there were people taking swipes at 'looters' for taking beer. Hell, that's the first place I'd go is the beer cooler. Self-medication, ya know?

[TorchTheWitch]

47. sure we can

And it's easier to sell more when someone uses plastic instead of cash. Besides, most clubs have ATM's that take debit and credit cards. There aren't many big spenders that bring a lot of cash to the club... having a lot of cash on you can be dangerous.

[nonconformist]

13. This is the MO they're using to get out of the promises Bush made

You know, those vastly socialist promises that he can't pay for anyway.

They'll use things like this to justify backing out of it (not that they ever planned on going through with it anyway).

Of course, they don't really need an excuse to back out, do they? They've backed out of generous promises they've made before to Mexico, Russia, Afghanistan, and New York City with nary an excuse.

[izzybeans]

15. cherrypicking the low hanging fruit to punish the rest nt

[gatorboy]

18. How did Poe come across this info?

Does he frequent these strip joints?

[Gruenemann]

27. Just what I was thinking.....n/t

[Arkansas Granny]

30. Good question. I was wondering that myself.

[preciousdove]

31. FEMA just claimed privacy when MSM asked for details about FL checks

96k missing and dead lying in NOLA and they know who bought what?

Obscene.

[burythehatchet]

52. no, his daughter "tipped" him off

[Zynx]

19. I take it they were buying big screen TVs and drugs too?

Typical Republican opinion of poor people.

[Wilber_Stool]

20. Do you think it could be

FEMA employees issuing cards to themselves, their friends, or to people that don't exist. And why no names? I think there is a scandal in there but not what it may appear.

[jmowreader]

21. Compared to the multibillion-dollar handjob Halliburton's giving us...

a few lap dances doesn't seem out of line.

</:sarcasm:>

And I'm like "so fucking what?" Ya give people $2000 and don't give them any guidance on how to spend it, some of it's going to go to bullshit expenses like lap dances, drugs, hookers, whatever. Most of it will go to necessities, but they gave this money to human beings--human beings do stupid shit, y'know?

Look, guys, if these people in Congress, who have eclipsed Sergeant Major Dickerson's distinction of being more in need of a blowjob than any white man in history, really want to make sure the relief is spent on food, clothes and building materials, they need to buy a shitload of general store (Wal-Mart, Kmart and Target are the general stores of the 21st Century) gift cards and a shitload of Home Depot gift cards then start issuing them at relief camps. Everyone gets one general store gift card and the choice of a second general store card or a Home Depot card.

The only major drawback to that is that you know someone's going to get a Home Depot gift card, spend the whole thing on industrial solvents, drain cleaner, hose and buckets, then max out his Wal-Mart card buying cold tablets, and get busted a week later cooking meth with ingredients purchased on FEMA's dime. Shit, if I was a Republican congressman who wanted to smear relief funding, I might even hire someone to do it.

[MsTryska]

22. i don't know of any place where you can buy a lapdance with a credit

card.



you can go to the ATM and get cash to pay for your lapdance, sure - however the as far as i know those cards can't be used for cash at ATMs.


at least the Red Cross cards can't.


and they're not giving you that much money. if you're getting a couple hundred bucks to last you until.....

are you really going to spend 20 of that on a lapdance?

[paineinthearse]

23. Just called the DC office

866.425.6565

Staffer was aware of the speech, said the transcript would be posted to the website later today.

Could not answer the source of the allegation. Just kept saying I could read the speech later today on the website.

This is going to be fun!

[Fescue4u]

24. Hey, if you don't support the Arts

They won't always be there.

Besides, whats wrong with putting young girls through college


:)

[brooklynite]

28. Conversely -- Lap dances being used for Hurricane relief

A dancer at the Déjà Vu club collecting donations for hurricane relief, and tips, on Monday night

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/21/national/nationalspecial/21strip.html

[Toots]

29. Sounds like there were a few Republicans that were evacuees.

:shrug:

[Bernardo de La Paz]

32. Standard reply to these lies: "What kind of sucker are you to believe BS?"

[momisold]

33. This has also been on the local news.

Buying lap dances and tattoos of the state of LA. The tattoo parlor refused to take the cards (FEMA and Red Cross) but the people would go find an ATM and get cash. I think they said the LA tattoo was $300. Bartender at strip joint said they were trying to buy drinks with one.

[defiant1]

35. Gonna need some evidence, Rep. ChumpStain....

Your Repuke word ain't gonna cut the mustard.

**edited for spelling**

[Cleita]

36. That rumor started I believe at Free Republic.

If there are Black men getting lap dances in Houston's bars, was it announced that they were hurricane victims from LA? This looks like a job for Snopes to prove or debunk.

I guess now that the looting accusations aren't feasible anymore, it's time to move on with more blaming of the victim in a different scenario.

[momisold]

39. It's not a rumor.

The news stations here (Houston) were interviewing people who had been given the card in payment for drinks and tattoos.

[Cleita]

40. Really? Have they interviewed any of the card holders?

I really don't trust the news to be unbiased and to double check their facts anymore. Also, if some hurricane victims have done those things, what percentage of the card holders are doing this? You might find out it's very few and yet reporting thing like this makes it look like every person who got a card is also getting a tattoo and a lap dance.

[momisold]

44. I didn't say alot were doing it...

but somebody is doing it.

[Cleita]

49. In any group of people there are a few who abuse their

privileges, but when they put up stories like this without showing what the others are doing with their money, it makes people think welfare queen. It's a very racist thought incidentally. So if they take the money away because of the abuse of a few, it makes a lot of people suffer, like children, the elderly and the handicapped. Unbalanced reporting like this makes the people who are watching this think that it's not a good thing to extend a helping hand to those who need it. I think you understand what I mean.

[Zynx]

61. Even if they are, it's their problem if they're not buying food.

Don't Republicans usually defend whatever people do with their money?

[HeeBGBz]

62. Everybody needs an "I survived Katrina" tattoo

It's there already, they just need to ink it in.

[manic expression]

37. Like those "welfare queens"...that never existed?

I guess deny the poor and give to the rich is America's new favorite pastime.

To be honest, it doesn't bother me one bit if someone uses such means (that weren't given out) to buy a TV or something. If it takes some burden off the individual and adds some kind of hope to their lives, that is not wasted. Anyway, to give and then judge what it is used for is ridiculous. Good societies and people give for good reasons, and that is all they can and should do.

[paineinthearse]

41. No transcript on Poe's site yet, maybe he's embarassed?

http://www.house.gov/poe/speeches.htm

[paineinthearse]

54. Still no transcript. Anybody from Texas 2 cd here?

Please call congresscritter and ask where the transcript is. Tell them it was a 1 minute speech given around noon, how long does it take to get it onto the website?

:evilgrin:

[paineinthearse]

58. Still nothing

http://www.house.gov/poe/speeches.htm

[enki23]

42. so goddamned what? anecdotal bullshit

what fraction of the money was spent on lap dances, asshole? and how much was spent on rental cars and food?

[LSK]

45. ok, we found where $50 went

What about that $9billion missing in Iraq????????????????

[Cleita]

50. Excellent point and this is the question our news media should

be asking and reporting on. Y'all hear that you media whores!

[Fire Walk With Me]

53. It depends upon your definition of "emergency".

-Dr. Katz

There is a photo on the front of the LA Times which might be related.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-dejavu21sep21,0,601689.story?coll=la-home-headlines

[paineinthearse]

57. This one?

OFF DUTY: National Guardsmen are among those on hand as the strip club reopens.
(Rick Loomis / LAT)


September 20, 2005

[ohio_liberal]

59. Heh

Looks like good clean fun to me :D

[wellstone dem]

56. And what did the 9/11

survivors who got millions spend their $ on?

[paineinthearse]

60. THOMAS - the coward's remarks are being REVISED!

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Poe) is recognized for 5 minutes. -- (House of Representatives - September 21, 2005)

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/D?r109:1:./temp/~r109RKXyvK::

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Poe) is recognized for 5 minutes. -- (House of Representatives - September 21, 2005)


---
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Poe) is recognized for 5 minutes.

(Mr. POE addressed the House. His remarks will appear hereafter in the Extensions of Remarks.)

END

[paineinthearse]

64. Transcript from Thomas

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/C?r109:./temp/~r1091kTcrX

KATRINA ABUSE -- (House of Representatives - September 21, 2005)


---
(Mr. POE asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 minute.)

Mr. POE. Madam Speaker, as the skies have cleared in the aftermath of Katrina, and the howling winds and rain of Rita develop in the gulf and head for Texas, we have learned that giving away American money in the form of emergency debit cards should be reevaluated.

There are reports in Houston of evacuees using their taxpayer debit cards to buy expensive jewelry, $800 Louis Vuitton purses. $2,000 cards are exchanged on the black market for cash in order to buy drugs, alcohol, and as they say, street entertainment.

There are reports of individuals using multiple stolen identifications to get numerous cards. At the Astrodome there are reports of dice games with the pot being debit cards.

Madam Speaker, we are also hearing the topless clubs are doing a booming business thanks to the evacuees. A local bartender has reported that the debit cards are used at his topless club to gain admission and purchase lap dances. Maybe these are emergency lap dances for the displaced and distressed evacuees.

:rolf:

Madam Speaker, when American money is given away in the name of compassion without adequate control, we see the above abuse. Those who take advantage of this disaster should be held accountable.

As the saying goes, Madam Speaker, no good deed goes unpunished. This ought not to be.

END

[RebelOne]

65. Asshole Sean Insannity said that they were buying

Gucci purses and taking trips to the Bahamas.

[onenote]

66. and how many defense department dollars are used for lap dances

I'd bet the house that the number of lap dances put on expense accounts by defense contractors in any given week tops the amount of Katrina-related aid spent for that purpose.

onenote

[paineinthearse]

67. New thread started in GDP

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x2109928