Tea Party Congressman Collects Disability From His Union Job

[Lions_fan]

August 25, 2011
By Stephen D. Foster Jr.

Representative Chip Cravaak of Minnesota was swept into office during the 2010 midterm election on the Tea Party platform. He has since voted for the Paul Ryan plan to kill Medicare, which would force seniors to rely on a voucher system which wouldn’t be likely to cover their vast health needs and costs. But did you know that he’s a raging hypocrite?

Even as he bashed unions during his election campaign, Cravaak enjoyed the benefits of being a member of one. He worked as a pilot for Northwest Air, now Delta, as recently as 2007 and being a pilot means that you are automatically a union member, thus receiving the benefits of union negotiated salaries, vacations and ultimately, disability payments. According to financial records released by Cravaak himself, the Tea Party Representative received $92,273 from disability payments in 2010 alone. So while Cravaak was busy bashing “big government” and unions, he was cashing disability checks.

http://www.addictinginfo.org/2011/08/25/tea-party-congressman-collects-disability-from-his-union-job/

[Snotcicles]

1. I think this will be a good year for us Lion's fans. nt

[madinmaryland]

2. Typical of a teabagger to "double-dip"

Moran.

[DJ13]

3. received $92,273 from disability payments in 2010 alone

Thats one Hell of a disability plan.

[rurallib]

4. I read the other day that his family is moving to New Hampshire

his wife has a job in Boston, so the family will move to NH, including the Chipster. The Chipster will drop into Duluth occasionally though.

WASHINGTON - U.S. Rep. Chip Cravaack's family is moving from Minnesota to New Hampshire so Cravaack's two children will be closer to their mother's job.

Cravaack and his family are leaving their Lindstrom home, and he is buying a new house in North Branch, spokesman Ben Golnik said Saturday.

Cravaack's move comes as he faces a tough reelection race in the Eighth District. Three DFLers -- former state Sen. Tarryl Clark, Duluth City Councilman Jeff Anderson and former Rep. Rick Nolan -- have announced that they will run against the freshman Republican.

http://www.startribune.com/politics/national/125695303.html

[UTUSN]

5. K&R #11 n/t

[paulk]

6. that doesn't seem right

average salary is around 70k and disability benefits are half that, under Delta's contract.

Not defending the guy, but I'd need to see some documentation - that 92k number doesn't seem credible

[NotThisTime]

8. Of the pilots we know/known who flew commercial they were far into the six figure range... seems

right if he was flying the larger aircraft on the name brand carriers

[paulk]

9. yeah, that's prolly right

he flew planes for 15 years - a Delta Captain with 10 yrs seniority makes around 200k. Wiki lists his disability at 79k.

[Brickbat]

7. His disability? Sleep apnea.

I don't know what Delta's policy is on sleep apnea, but there it is.