Claire Davenport: "An Austrian member of the European Parliament is under investigation over suspect expenses claims totaling 1.3 million euros, including one item listed as 'elephant'."

  • Nash Rambler

    I don’t suppose that European Parliament member’s name is Hannibal, by any chance?  If so, that elephant might be a justifiable expense.

    • Brainspore

      Most Austrians just take the Tauem Autobahn these days.

  • Tribune

    You know I would rather a corrupt politician buy an elephant than many other alternatives.

  • Daneel

    I think I will have seen everything when I see an elephant lie.

  • UnderachievingSheep

    I see your “elephant” and I raise you an anti EU report funded by… the European Union.

    I am not a EU skeptic but I can understand why people can become so bitter about it. Hardly anyone knows how the European Union functions, who does exactly what and what the institutions mean. For the average European, this is pretty esoteric and to make matters even worse, we regularly get press reports about corruption like this elephant or Geert Wilders’ associate paying for his rehab with EU funds. 

  • grimc

    It’s a typo. It should read “Asians”.

    • Daneel

      Why do African Elephants have big ears?

      Because Noddy won’t pay the ransom.

  • DeepNorth

    FTA:
    Martin says he in fact meant to claim for books about Auschwitz from an Austrian publisher called “Ephelant”. The publisher does offer such a book, priced at 22 euros.

    • Antinous / Moderator

      Yes, he spent 2,200 euros on books about Auschwitz.  At the taxpayers’ expense.

      The problem with the European Parliament, and the UK, and probably lots of other places is that they finance their offices by claiming expenses.  They should just get allowances and have to work within their budgets.

  • rob_cornelius

    Could have been worse… he could have been claiming to have the moat surrounding his castle cleaned or a new duck house. Or his partner could have been claiming for the porn vids they had bought

  • James Kimbell

    He’s just a big White Stripes fan.

  • Jorpho

    In the wake of recent tragedies, he is funding a remake of a 2003 Gus Van Sant film.  Clearly.

  • iamlegion

    I once shot an elephant in my expense account. How an elephant got into my expense account I’ll never know…

    • http://www.facebook.com/victor.jimenezmerino Víctor Jiménez Merino

       Are you the King of Spain?

  • Wreckrob8

    Without the selfless devotion to fraudulent overspending of our elected representatives like Dr Martin we would never become aware of the problem.
    Why should we begrudge him just one elephant?