Dear Editor:

On January 14, 2014, The Patriot News ran an op-ed from Congressman Joe Pitts (R-Pennsylvania) who lauded Governor Chris Christie (R-NJ) both for responding well to allegations relating to Bridge-Gate and for criticizing the rollout of Obamacare.

It is premature to exonerate Governor Christie based on a single press conference. And it is obvious that the Obama administration botched the launch of the Affordable Care Act.

The op-ed was a partisan lesson in what’s wrong with government. Mr. Pitts’ defense of Mr. Christie, and criticism of Mr. Obama, belies the fact that he is a career politician who has enriched himself at the expense of taxpayers.

No matter how long it takes Rep. Pitts to cross a bridge, his gas, tolls and vehicle have been underwritten by taxpayers since 1972. It’s the original Easy Pass.

Mr. Pitts’ health care has been subsidized by taxpayers since Richard Nixon was reelected as President of the United States. At the time Mr. Pitts was elected to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, legislators received pensions of 7.5% of their highest salary for each year of service.

Congressman Joe Pitts has been collecting a state pension and a congressional salary since 1997. From January 1997 to June 1998, his pension was $82,984.32. In June 1998, Mr. Pitts’ COLA increased and his pension increased to $84,527.88. On July 1, 2003, Mr. Pitts benefited from another COLA, and his annual pay out was pumped up to $90,867.48.

Last year Mr. Pitts received a state pension of $90,867.48 in addition to his annual congressional salary of $174,000.

By the end of his current term, Congressman Joe Pitts will have received approximately $4,650,000 in state pension payments and congressional salary since he “retired” from state government in early 1997. In addition to a state and federal pension, Mr. Pitts will enjoy taxpayer-subsidized health care for the rest of his life.

Which begs the questions: Rather than defending Governor Christie and blasting President Obama, why isn’t Joe Pitts explaining why he broke his promise to serve only ten years (he was elected to Congress in 1998) and how he – as a fiscal conservative – justifies receiving a state pension and a federal salary at the same time he enjoys subsidized health care?

Sincerely,

Eric Epstein

 

Photo by House GOP