Rehberg deceives Montana about lobbyist planned trip to Kazakhstan
Congressman Dennis Rehberg: special interest ally
BILLINGS, Mont.—Congressman Dennis Rehberg billed his infamous 2004 visit to Kazakhstan as a “fact finding” mission, but newly uncovered research confirms Rehberg’s taxpayer-funded trip was actually a lobbyist-planned getaway designed to give Rehberg access to special interests.
Leo Giacometto, a former chief of staff for Senator Conrad Burns, was a D.C. lobbyist when he organized the trip to Kazakhstan. Rehberg enjoyed the vacation with Burns, Giacometto, three of Giacometto’s clients and a lobbyist for the telecommunications giant Qualcomm.
Taxpayers paid $1,856 to send Rehberg to Kazakhstan via Ireland.
“The fact that Dennis Rehberg had Montana taxpayers foot the bill for his luxury getaway to Kazakhstan with lobbyists is a failure of accountability that raises all sorts of questions about the Congressman’s close relationship with special interests,” said Montanans for Tester spokeswoman Alexandra Fetissoff. “Congressman Rehberg isn’t looking out for us. He’s looking out for himself and special interests.”
Rehberg’s trip to Kazakhstan with special interest lobbyists is more famous for debauchery than diplomatic fact-finding. Rehberg fell off a horse, breaking and bruising several ribs after reportedly downing shots of vodka.
Rehberg’s taxpayer-funded vacation to Kazakhstan was hosted by the “ethically problematic” U.S.-Asia Network. Burns was the honorary chairman of the Network, which lobbyist Giacometto ran out of his lobbying business. In 2004, Rehberg was also lobbied by Giacometto to build the scandal-ridden Inland Northwest Space Alliance (INSA) in Missoula—during a 2004 trip to Las Vegas.
More information about Rehberg’s taxpayer-funded trip to Kazakhstan with special interest lobbyists is online HERE.
Read more about Rehberg’s record as “special interest yes-man” below:
