Tuesday, March 06, 2007
Connie Morris: The Gift that Keeps On Giving
Former State Board of Education member Connie Morris charged taxpayers $2,339 for her travel in December to Washington, D.C., according to her travel payment voucher obtained by the Journal-World. The trip occurred about three weeks before she left office. Morris, a Republican from St. Francis, was defeated in the August primary by moderate Republican Sally Cauble of Liberal.
In a brief written report, Morris said her three days of meetings in Washington were “extremely productive and encouraging.” She didn’t report with whom she met but said the subject of the meetings covered illegal immigration, English as the official language, science standards and the evolution debate, judicial activism, media bias, agriculture, federal office closures, faith-based initiatives and economic development.
Her Washington expenses included $1,300 for mileage — she drove and paid her own way for lodging en route. She said the $1,300 in mileage would have been comparable to flying and paying transportation costs in Washington.
While we would pay any cost to get Connie out of the state on a permanent basis, her junket to a far-right hate conference and Ann Coulter look-alike contest hardly qualifies as a taxpayer supported school board activity.
