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Congressional Travel
Politicians Still Cashing in on Free Trips
The rules have changed, but Florida's congressional delegation is still getting a free rides, paid for by private interests.
African Interest
[Illustrations: Rob Zammarchi] |
Trip Cost: $15,607
Sponsor: International Conservation Caucus Foundation
Yulee Bonanza
Yulee, a town of about 8,400 on the outskirts of Jacksonville, has become an out-of-the-way hot spot for congressional travelers. The reason? Yulee is home to the White Oak Plantation, a 7,400-acre tract of land that the late Howard Gilman, a paper magnate and photography collector, saw as a “catalyst for the development and implementation of new ideas.”
Now owned by the Howard Gilman Foundation, the plantation features conference facilities that can accommodate gatherings of up to 100 people. According to its website, the facility has hosted Bill Clinton, Al Gore and Colin Powell. The plantation features guest lodges and cottages furnished with antiques and artwork from around the world. Also located on the property is the 600-acre White Oak Conservation Center, a wildlife breeding, research and training facility where uncommon species like the Grevy’s Zebra roam and where Florida panthers are rehabilitated before being released back in the wild.
Political animals, it seems, are drawn there as well. In June, 10 Democratic House staffers traveled to the White Oak Plantation to attend seminars on “developing policy and messaging for a clean energy future,” according to the staffers’ travel forms. Their trip was organized and paid for by the Howard Gilman Foundation and Third Way, a Washington, D.C.-based non-profit think tank that calls itself the “moderate wing of the progressive movement.”
The White Oak Plantation defines its mission as serving as a “catalyst for the development and implementation of new ideas.”
The White Oak Plantation defines its mission as serving as a “catalyst for the development and implementation of new ideas.” [Photo: Jacksonville Times Union] |