text: Rep Gabbard may ultimately pay much more than this relatively small reimbursement;  she may have done serious damage to her political aspirations.  Let's set aside speculation about her motivation.  It actually doesn't matter whether she was seeking facts or publicity.  What does matter is that she willingly consorted with one of the vilest leaders on the planet, bar none, and came home singing his praises.  Worse, she insisted Assad has the unanimous support of every Syrian she met, which convinces me only that she did not speak with any of the survivors of the thousands of victims of his barrel bombing, chemical weaponeering, hangings, and torture.  I expect next she'll be off to North Korea, probably in the company of Dennis Rodman.  I also expect I've voted for her for the last time.  This was at best miserable judgment.