What other job could you...?

Ramon to Receive Salary Despite Absence

(IsraelNN.com) The Knesset’s Ethics Committee decided Tuesday to allow former Justice Minister Chaim Ramon to keep his full salary for the session held from October 2006 to March 2007, despite the fact that Ramon was absent from work during the entire period. Ramon was absent because he was on trial for forcibly kissing a female soldier. He was convicted and sentenced to community service.

The Ethics Committee, lead by MK Chaim Oron (Meretz), accepted Ramon’s argument that he had done whatever possible to shorten his trial and return to work. Members of the Movement for Quality Government expressed anger at the decision, saying “those elected by the public should not live on the public’s account while they are not acting on its behalf.”

Wow! What other job can one just not show up for months and still get paid? Note to self: Run for a Knesset seat...