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If you saw this listing on Craigslist, would you jump at the opportunity to live there?
Well-located office that can double as living space available immediately. One half-bath, one to three potential bedrooms, no kitchen but a small refrigerator is included. Prime location with fantastic view of Capitol, just floors above a number of eating options and blocks away from a number of restaurants and bars. Orange Line Metro just a block away. No rent, no credit check, no references. You just need to get elected to the House of Representatives.If you're Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Ut.), welcome home.
Think Progress yesterday followed up on an ABC story and Politico scoop from November about Chaffetz, a freshman representative from Utah who will shun a temporary apartment in Washington and opt instead for living in his Longworth office. (Chaffetz first came to our attention with his strident opposition to legislation that would grant both D.C. and Utah an additional seat in the House.) According to the ABC report, Chaffetz isn't a fiscal conservative just in theory, but also in practice. "I'm trying to live the example that it doesn't take big dollars in order to get where we want to go," Chaffetz said. "I can save my family $1,500 a month by sleeping on a cot in my office as opposed to getting a fancy place that's maybe a little bit more comfortable." He's apparently not alone -- 40 other members of the House are said to live where they work.
We've long known that the District and the surrounding area aren't terribly affordable, especially when it comes to finding a good one-bedroom apartment. (What about a group house, Rep. Chaffetz? Rep. George Miller, Rep. Bill Delahunt, Sen. Dick Durbin and Sen. Charles Schumer share a particularly infamous one on the Hill.) And we do respect Chaffetz for not being like the many other members of Congress who have bought homes in the District and illegally taken advantage of a local homestead tax exemption.
We are curious to see how long he can stick this out. Sure, there's a free shower in the basement and all, but it may only be a few weeks before he becomes known as the guy who walks the halls in a robe and no shower shoes. Can't he couch-surf? He's got 177 Republican colleagues, and at least some of the Blue Dog Dems would probably put him up. Or maybe some of those 40 other office-sleepers would totally go in on an awesome Columbia Heights group house. They'd be the coolest house in all the House.
Image of the Longworth House Office Building from house.gov
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"Save $1,500 a month by sleeping on a cot in my office as opposed to getting a fancy place that's maybe a little bit more comfortable"
You have to go far from DC is get any fancy for $1500..this aint Provo.
"...40 other members of the House are said to live where they work."
WOW! Who knew being a Congressman would be such a hardship.
It doesn't have to be. Any of them can come stay in my basement for free. They just have to do me a favor every once in a while, you know ;)
Talk about unprofessional behavior! If anyone in the real world were to do this, they'd be bounced out of their job in no time.
Look, let me explain something. He's not "Mr. Chaffetz." He's The Chaff. So that's what you call him. That or His Chaffness... Chaffer... or El Chafferino, if, you know, you're not into the whole brevity thing.
So is this a perk that everyone that works at the Capitol gets, or is it just Congressmen? How would he feel if his entire staff slept in the office?
Can other Federal workers working downtown do the same thing?
And I'm pretty sure fire codes and response plans don't include people sleeping in offices. Hence the zoning classification 'nonresidential'.
This is a gimmicky publicity stunt.
But at least he's almost attractive, and his wife is hot.
Can other Federal workers working downtown do the same thing?
That's the great thing about Congress. They're exempt from all the laws they pass.
Can other Federal workers working downtown do the same thing?
Yes! Its called an All Access Pass. You can spend the night officially if you've gotten permission from your boss or hang-out unofficially and get kicked out when spotted by security.
How would he feel if his entire staff slept in the office?
Can other Federal workers working downtown do the same thing?
I sleep at my desk once in a while. Not on a cot, mind you, you know, just close the eyes and ...
didn't this guy lose to colbert at a leg war game the other night?
Several buildings on the Hill have full bathrooms complete with showers. There are also snack machines and lounges.
Did I mention Internet access and cable TV. If you work on the Hill, you're already home.
Obama's going to be living in his "office" so why can't the legislative branch do the same?
I am going to start renting out group houses for poor freshman representatives, each featuring a pool table and kegerator and endless supplies of toilet paper. Obviously, if these guys are planning on sleeping on a cot in their office, they are under the perhaps correct impression that being a congressman is like the movie Old School. They won't last a week, once they realize you can't get a pizza delivered to Longworth late night.
Former Rep. JD Hayworth, Republican of Arizona, slept in his office from day one. It's not exactly rough going since you can shower and go to the gym in the building.
At least this Chaff character will not "rent" an room from a "friend" for $600 like Sen. Norm Coleman.
price aside, this is one of the reasons that we have to deal with congresscritters imposing their ridiculous rules on DC like we're some kind of national petri dish.
they are so disconnected from the city that they don't even have to leave their buildings. fly into DCA, cab to the office, work for the week, cab back to DCA, fly out.
if these antisocialites would take the time to go out and get civically involved in their home away from home, they might learn that there are real people out here with real concerns, not just what they think is 500,000 poor black people with 100,000 rich whites west of the park.
all that said, it has to be at least somewhat illegal for the house office buildings to basically be glorified flophouses, isn't it?
Well, since his hometown in Utah (Alpine, Utah) is 97.4% white and has an average household income of $72,000 I'd say he's done pretty much all the mixing with 'the rest of us' that he's going to do anytime soon.
I would love to know who the 40 other Reps are. The line to that free shower must get awfully long each morning.
Next congressional scandal: Group showers
I'd love it if someone proposed a law that any congressman who lives in their office has to pay the government a nominal rent. If their 20-year-old interns can find a place to live, so can they.
I hate to rain on the poo poo parade of cynicism here, but doesn't anyone recognize why analogies between Congressmen sleeping in their offices and other workers sleeping in their offices doesn't work? Most jobs don't require you to maintain two households. I know these guys are being paid good money, but it's expensive to maintain two households, especially when one is in Washington.
And oh yeah, it's not that uncommon for people to sleep in their offices. Big firm lawyers, for instance, are known to have some administrative campouts.
I believe cynicism rains down in bitter tears of hopelessness, you are thinking of stupidity which rains down in little clods of poo poo shit.
A lot of staffers and others manage to have an apartment here in DC while their family lives 'back home'. And they tend to make a lot less than Congressmen.
A lot of people in DC have to maintain a home and family elsewhere. And a lot of those people make a lot less than a Congressman does.
My point is that I doubt this perk isn't open to Congressional staff or others.
And he has other options. He could rent a room in a house. He could share rent in a two or three bedroom apartment.
And him taking advantage of this 'perk' that he has given himself sortof makes him look like an elitist prick, since it's not given out to staff and the rest of us non-Congressmen.
I think it is sad that a person who makes somewhere around $165,000-$174K (2009?) with benefits, and probably has a working spouse as well, can not handle one property in Utah (not the most expensive place around), and a studio in the city.
The poverty act is a little insulting when he is pulling in congressional pay. With his income, I bet he is just saving up for a few new Range Rovers back home, maybe a new pool at the old family compound. A lot of money goes a long, long way back home in Utah.
Of course none of this would be anyone's business if he didn't get so much press for being miserly. Now if he was making staffer money...