Durbin discloses he took four free trips

Those who live in glass houses.......

Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), once again disclosing more than the rules require, took four trips paid for by outside interests and has assets of about $900,000, according to annual reports released on Tuesday.

Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) requested more time, said spokesman Tommy Vietor. Each year, members of Congress file reports regarding very general information about income, investments, gifts and travel. Durbin, unlike most other officials, provides details. A copy of the report can be found at www.tray.com.

Durbin traveled to Hawaii, Italy, India, Bangladesh and South Africa, according to his report. The non-partisan Aspen Institute paid for two trips and the Chicago Council on Foreign Relations another and the fourth by the taxpayer-funded Democratic Policy Group. These free trips -- not to be confused with official congressional travel -- are the subject of more intense partisan political scrutiny this year.

I love that first line. So typical of the Slum Times to try and spin a negative into a positive when reporting on their beloved liberal Senator. You know if the report was on a Republican Senator it would have read more like: "once again only after tremendous pressure and criticsm does Sen.[ ] begrudgingly disclose his illegal trips".