Gordon’s Taxpayer-Funded Retirement Gift

Most careers end with a gold watch or a happy hour. For retiring House Science and Technology Chairman Bart Gordon (D-Tenn.), the parting gift from the nation’s taxpayers appears to be an all-expenses-paid tour of Italy, Switzerland and China.

Gordon told his constituents in mid-December that he was calling it quits after 13 terms. Since then, the Blue Dog Coalition member has embarked on a global victory lap of sorts, spending tens of thousands of dollars to sample international locales while traveling on official government business.

By June, Gordon will have traveled on six Congressional delegation trips in seven months. A House Democratic aide confirmed that Gordon attempted to organize a seventh trip in March — to Madrid and Seville, Spain — that was later called off.

Read more: (Matthew Murray, “Gordon Racks Up Miles Before Retiring,” Roll Call, 4/27/10)