AOL News
July 21, 2010 (updated July 27, 2010)

Crave ribs? Bagels and coffee or doughnuts? Seafood, subs or Chinese? So does Congress!

House members spent part of their Members Representational Allowances on these items -- and more -- during the nine-month period between late 2009 and early 2010 covered by the Sunlight Foundation's House Expenditure Reports Database. The info is highly enlightening, revealing, for instance, the popularity of Chantilly Donut's sinkers; what it costs to feed hungry congressional pages; and how lucrative it can be to own a part of the cottage industry of keeping our duly elected representatives fed and well hydrated.

According to the documents, Democrat Gregorio Sablan, the first-ever House delegate for the Northern Mariana Islands, spent more on food than any other legislator, racking up a tab of $23,457. The second-place legislator, Texas Republican Michael Burgess, spent $17,515.

One company in particular raked in the taxpayer dough: CapitolHost. At least 61 legislators and 20 congressional offices used the catering service, to the tune of about $169,143. But that's only the tip of the iceberg salad...

[FULL ARTICLE...]