Reports indicate Republican members of Congress have participated in luxury conferences at Italy’s prestigious Lake Como resort, with expenses reaching up to $15,000 per attendee covered by the liberal Aspen Institute.
The Aspen Institute invited both Democratic and Republican lawmakers to Bellagio, Italy, for policy discussions on food insecurity, artificial intelligence and energy security through their Congressional Program.
The organization describes this initiative as a “nonpartisan” educational effort, though critics may question whether true nonpartisanship exists given the institute’s progressive leanings and speaker selections.
The Congressional Program operates as a “nongovernmental, nonpartisan educational program serving the United States Congress,” according to the institute’s official website.
While the program launched in 1983, the Italian lake conferences represent a relatively recent development, beginning in 2023.
Over four dozen lawmakers attended the April conferences, according to NOTUS News reporting.
The gatherings occurred at the picturesque Lake Como location in northern Italy, known worldwide as a destination for wealthy celebrities and international elites.
Individual costs for each attendee and their guest ranged between $10,000 and $15,000 for several days in Bellagio.
These expenses covered business class airfare, meals and accommodations, all funded by the Aspen Institute.
Lawmakers stayed at the Rockefeller Foundation’s Bellagio Center, an elegant villa overlooking Lake Como.
The facility provides recreational and sports equipment along with private beach access on the lake.
The luxurious amenities available to congressional participants extend far beyond basic conference facilities, including access to recreational activities typically associated with high-end vacation destinations rather than working policy sessions.
The Aspen Institute positions itself as a global organization seeking to “spark curiosity, deepen understanding, and connect across different perspectives and experiences.”
The group focuses on what it terms “complex moral and social challenges of our time.”
The organization’s track record suggests a consistent leftward ideological tilt that may influence the framing of these supposedly neutral policy discussions, however.
These challenges include climate change, clean energy initiatives and economic opportunity programs.
The Daily Caller reported that the institute has previously hosted events featuring controversial speakers, including a 2019 “book talk” with Ibram X. Kendi discussing “How to Be an Antiracist.”
The Rockefeller Foundation provided $1,250,000 to the Aspen Institute for the period from September 30, 2024, to March 30, 2027.
This funding supports “nonpartisan, educational convening of U.S. congressional leaders and experts” to encourage collaboration on policy issues, per the Caller.
The Rockefeller Foundation states its mission as promoting “the well-being of humanity.”
The foundation’s grant history demonstrates focus areas including climate change and clean energy, with additional grants to Columbia University and Harvard.
The foundation’s consistent funding of progressive causes and institutions suggests a particular ideological framework underlying their support for congressional travel programs.
Rep. Randy Weber (R-TX) described his April Lake Como experience to NOTUS.
“They put us on a small houseboat and took us over the lake to a little villa if you will, and the restaurant there. You talk about Italian, it was Italian,” Weber said.
Weber also mentioned his wife’s activities during the trip.
“[Weber’s wife] got to into the little town there and try not only their cooking class but also got try their gelato, if you know what that is,” Weber explained.
The post Republican Lawmakers Enjoy $15K Italian Lake Retreats Funded by Left-Wing Think Tank: Report appeared first on Resist the Mainstream.
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Author: Jordyn M.
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