Four PT senators led the spending ranking in 2022

Four PT senators were among the biggest spenders in 2022, considering expenses with the quota for the exercise of the mandate (the “Cotão”), postage and travel. The biggest expense was by Humberto Costa (PE) – R$ 658 thousand. Jaques Wagner (BA), leader of the government in the Senate, was in second place, with R$ 587 thousand. The president of Petrobras, Jean Paul Prates (RN), was in third place, with R$ 585 thousand. Paulo Rocha (PA) was in fifth place, with BRL 578 thousand. Eliziane Gama (PSD-MA) spent BRL 580 thousand and was in fourth place.

Humberto Costa spent BRL 432,000 on “Cotão”, of which BRL 196,000 was spent on transportation, accommodation and food. Trips to Mexico, Montevideo, Bogota, London, Osford and Washington cost R$151,000, R$78,000 for tickets and R$73,000 for daily stays. He even spent R$71,000 on postage. Wagner’s biggest expenses with “Cotão” were also with transportation in his state, in a total of R$ 246 thousand. Spending on official travel totaled R$ 126,000, R$ 83,000 of which on air tickets abroad. The trip to COP27, in Egypt, in November alone, cost R$ 47,000. Including the expenses of an advisor, Wagner’s trip came to R$ 82,000.

Prates used R$432,000 from “Cotão” and another R$125,000 on travel, of which R$72,000 was on per diem. He was on a mission in the wind sector in New Jersey (USA) in April. In June, he participated in the renewable energy forum in Newcastle and Oxford, UK. Seven months later, he would be elected president of Petrobras. In November, he was at Cop27 and in Rome, receiving 12 nights for a total of R$ 27,000. Paulo Rocha spent BRL 442 thousand on “Cotão” and BRL 130 thousand on postage.

Per diems and tickets for the 13 senators who were at COP27 totaled R$633,000. Expenses with tickets and accommodation for the President of the Senate, Rodrigo Pacheco (PSD-MG), and Senator Randolfe Rodrigues (REDE-AP), currently leader of the government in Congress, were funded by the National Confederation of Industry (CNI), which promoted conference events.

The senators spent R$ 1.95 million on postal services. The trips of all senators totaled R$ 1.77 million. R$808,000 was spent on per diems and R$963,000 on air tickets on official missions.

Cars, advertising, consulting

The expenses of the 81 senators totaled R$ 29.4 million. Most of it was spent on “Cotão” – R$ 25.3 million. Air tickets totaled R$ 6.8 million. Expenses with transportation, accommodation, fuel and food, very useful in an election year, consumed another R$ 5 million. The biggest spender on this item was Telmário Mota (PROS-RR) – R$ 248 thousand. From March to July, he rented a Triton and a Frontier van, for R$12,000 each. In the last three months of the year, he switched to a Hilux, for R$ 20,000 a month.

Property rentals for political offices cost an additional R$3.7 million. The biggest expense was made by Roberto Rocha (PTB-MA) – R$ 163 thousand. Almost all of it was invested in leasing and asset security for the support office in São Luís, with a monthly expense of R$ 13,000. Carlos Viana (Podemos-MG) spent BRL 130,000 on the lease and condominium expenses, electricity and taxes for a room in a building in the center of Belo Horizonte.

The disclosure of parliamentary activity was R$ 3.2 thousand. But advertising the senator’s work also relies on the hiring of support services for the congressman – an additional R$5.6 million. The person who spent the most on this item was Omar Aziz (PSD-AM), with R$ 380,000 earmarked for consulting and advisory companies. Davi Alcolumbre (União-AP) came close, with BRL 343,000 spent on a consulting service to support the exercise of his mandate.

the king of steaks

Among the perks offered to senators, spending on restaurants stands out. They are high because they can pay the bill for advisors and guests. But who actually pays is the taxpayer. Senator Giordano (MDB-SP), who took over from Senator Major Olímpio (PSL-SP), spent a total of R$52,000 on restaurants, most of them on steakhouses. At Churrascaria Rodeo alone, he burned R$8,500.

In 69 meals, the bill exceeded R$300 – the value of the Auxílio Brasil at the time – with an average value of R$516. with an average of R$ 766. The invoices presented to the Senate detail the dishes offered to the senator’s guests.

At Rodeio Churrascaria, in March, a picanha was served for two people, costing R$385. closing at R$ 812. At NB Steak Leme, in December, four courses costing R$ 210 were served, in a banquet costing R$ 887.

Vade Mecum

The blog searched the offices of the most spenders of senators. Humberto Costa’s advisory stated that the material sent by Correios is, basically, a Vade Mecum, “a collection of national laws sent to Brazilian citizens throughout the country”. Regarding the other expenses, above the Senate average, the cabinet replied: “Expenditures are all within legality and, above all, within the limit stipulated by the Senate. A significant part of the value is linked to airline tickets, whose prices have risen enormously in recent years. In November 2022, the 12-month increase was more than 40%.”

According to Giordano’s advisory, “all requests are made in compliance with legal norms, being restricted to commitments of a political, functional or parliamentary representation nature, in accordance with the rules established by the Federal Senate, which is why the aforementioned reimbursements are granted by the legislative house”.

Who spent more than half a million