U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, D-Mo., takes a holier-than-thou approach to the driving habits of his fellow congressmen in this Los Angeles Times article from 2008:

The effort to steer lawmakers into vehicles that get better mileage comes as Congress has mandated more fuel-efficient vehicles for the public and pump prices have surged.

The requirement was sought by [Cleaver], who figured that if his colleagues were serious about reducing greenhouse gas emissions and U.S. dependence on foreign oil, they ought to put their foot where their mouth is.

Cleaver does. His taxpayer-funded Ford Econoline, a recycled airport shuttle he uses as a mobile office, runs on cooking grease. But he’s heard grumbling from colleagues.

“They want their Lexuses and their Cadillacs,” he said. “I just think it’s a poor example for us to spend so much time talking about energy independence and global warming and presenting to the people an image of fat cats living the fat life.”

There’s just one problem: Cleaver leases his vegetable oil chugging, taxpayer-funded car for $2,900 per month. Yes, you read that right. $2,900 per month. That makes him, by far, the most free-spending member of Congress when it comes to auto leases.

In comparison, our own North Carolina Congressman Mel Watt, a 12th district Democrat, looks downright frugal. Watt leased a Toyota Prius as recently as 2007 for $742.80 a month.

According to this article in the Riverfront Times, Cleaver’s spokesman claimed they only pay around $900 a month for the van, and that the lease is pricey because Cleaver “doesn’t have a district office; the van doubles as a mobile office, replete with DVD player, fax machine and so on.”

No district office? Like the ones listed in Kansas City and Independence on Cleaver’s Web site?

Even if the lease is, in fact, around one grand a month, if Cleaver really wants to put his foot where his mouth is, he should use personal funds to pay for it. When they’re required to use their own cash for such endeavors, though, greenies tend to get cold feet. Surprise, surprise.

Update: Third quarter disbursements from Congress show that Cleaver pays $4,833.33 per month in rent for his supposedly non-existent district offices. Maybe it’s time to stop using that as an excuse for the pricey van.