Biden Collects Rent from the Secret Service
When he was launching the "anti-waste" campaign back in June, Joe Biden declared that he was "committed to . . . stepping up the hunt for misspent dollars." Here's a start: how about the sweetheart lease with the Secret Service negotiated by... Joe Biden?
The VP has a rental cottage on the grounds of his Delaware house. When the previous tenant moved out, Biden conveniently arranged to have the Secret Service rent the cottage -- all the better to protect him from those Tea Party Terrorists. Given that Greenville, Delaware has a vacancy rate of 36 percent, Biden was not likely to find a sucker willing to commit to pay total rent of $66,000 through 2013 -- so he stuck it to you and me.
Not that the "most transparent administration in history" made it easy to find this information. The Washington Times broke the story, only after one of its reporters happened to see a federal purchase order listing "Joseph Biden" as a "vendor" to the Secret Service.
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Comments :
Jun '10
Re: Biden Collects Rent from the Secret Service
This is both interesting and unsurprising.
Jun '10
Re: Biden Collects Rent from the Secret Service
It's government money. Therefore, free. Joe knows that.
Apr '11
Re: Biden Collects Rent from the Secret Service
Nothing to see here, move along!
Oct '10
Re: Biden Collects Rent from the Secret Service
This is a non-story and exactly the type of situation that makes conservatives look silly. Biden's tennant left, and the cottage was rented at market rates. A better situation for the Secert Srevice because access to the Vice President and his family is limited and they are on site. The Secret Service would have had to rent near by with the protection being less than optimal. Mr. Biden is the Vice President and deserves protection and the arrangement is actaully a win for all sides: taxpayers, Secret Service and the Vice President. The taxpayers get a better bang for the buck on protecting the VP and his family at market rates, the Sceret Service gets a preferred location and the VP gets a good tennant.
Mar '11
Re: Biden Collects Rent from the Secret Service
I agree. I believe I first heard this on Monday, and it should have been dead Monday. There are plenty of real issues to point to. This makes us look partisan and petty
Sep '10
Re: Biden Collects Rent from the Secret Service
How much time does Biden spend in Delaware? Isn't there a special house for him in DC?
Is secret service renting a house in Chicago too?
Sep '10
Re: Biden Collects Rent from the Secret Service
Mark Belling Fan: How much time does Biden spend in Delaware? Isn't there a special house for him in DC?
Is secret service renting a house in Chicago too? · Aug 3 at 12:10pm
I have heard that Joe was quite famous while he was a senator for taking the train in every day from Delaware to DC. That may have changed now that he is VP, but he is likely one of the few legislators who lives close enough to commute home from the Capitol.
Re: Biden Collects Rent from the Secret Service
Market rates? I wonder. This is in keeping with Biden's generosity in giving to charities.
Re: Biden Collects Rent from the Secret Service
I'm not so sure. According to the story, the VP tried once before to get the Secret Service to rent his cottage, but they declined. What made them miraculously change their minds? Were all the other rentals snapped up? As Paul says above, I question the "market rate" bit.
Yes, Biden deserves Secret Service protection, but he also gets a free house at the Naval Observatory in DC, as well as access to Camp David. This is a guy who rails against no-bid contracts and government waste and abuse -- and he has suddenly discovered that the best use of Secret Service money is deal that happens to enrich him by $66K in the midst of the softest real estate market in recent history -- all so that he can continue to have the luxury of occasionally "commuting" from Wilmington instead of slumming it at the Official Residence? Somehow, that strikes me as unseemly.
Re: Biden Collects Rent from the Secret Service
Is $66K or is it not a nice piece of change? I wonder what the previous renters were paying at the height of the real estate boom.
Dec '10
Re: Biden Collects Rent from the Secret Service
Yes, it's decent change. I make less than that a year actually performing beneficial service for the nation. According to the story, his mother occupied the residence prior to her passing. After that he rented it for the same $2200/month, after the SS declined the sweetheart deal. I don't care where it is, a mother-in-law cottage isn't worth $2200/month.
Feb '11
Re: Biden Collects Rent from the Secret Service
Disagree that this is a trivial issue. Biden, Obama, & Co talk endlessly about "sacrifice"...anyone who has his eyes open should know that they and their allies are intending to be the *recipients* of sacrifice, not the providers of same. This incident offers a good opportunity to make that point.
People in many professions spend their own money incurring expenses to help with their jobs. Teachers often buy supplies. Executives sometimes buy computers & cell phones used mainly for work and not always reimbursable, and often spend their own money on business-related books and magazines. Biden's idea of extracting every possible dollar from his employment is unprofessional.
Edited on Aug 3, 2011 at 2:37pmMar '11
Re: Biden Collects Rent from the Secret Service
I am amazed 'average Joe' Biden owns the cottage in his own name and rents it in his own name. Shouldn't it be in Hunter's name?
Sep '10
Re: Biden Collects Rent from the Secret Service
You would think with all of those Tea Party Terrorists lurking around that he would let the Secret Service stay with him for free just to make sure that he was safe.