“Why did the chicken cross the road?”/“To get to the other side” is a classic riddle from the 19th century. A politician version was printed in The Globe and Mail (Toronto, ON) on January 12, 2007:
 
Q: Why did the politician cross the road?
A: Because he promised he wouldn’t.
   
Another version was posted on Twitter by Fayanora Tahlamorgk on June 28, 2011:
 
Q. Why did the politician cross the road?
A. To get to the other bribe.
 
A third version was printed in the Bendigo (Victoria) Advertiser on December 11, 2013:
 
Q: Why did the politician cross the road?
A: I don’t know, but he claimed $200 expenses for the journey.
 
“Why did the federal politician cross the road? No reason but they still claimed $300 travel expenses” was posted on Twitter by Marty Fields on September 17, 2018.
 
“Why did the accountant cross the road?”/“So he could claim it on his travel expenses” is a similar riddle.
   
     
12 January 2007, The Globe and Mail (Toronto, ON), “Morning Smile,” pg. A2:
Q: Why did the politician cross the road?
A: Because he promised he wouldn’t.
Brian Dust, Toronto
       
Twitter
🇬🇧 Babis Gakis #WTOBrexit 🇬🇧
@BabisGakis
Why did the politician cross the road? Because he said he wouldn’t.
3:06 AM - 14 Dec 2010
 
Twitter 
Fayanora Tahlamorgk
@Fayanora
Q. Why did the Politician cross the road? A.To get to the other bribe.
2:15 AM - 28 Jun 2011
   
Twitter
Ayodele. A™  🦁
@ayoawhy
Why did the politician cross the road? To get to the other bribe!!!
5:29 AM - 15 May 2012
 
11 December 2013, Bendigo (Victoria) Advertiser, “Good morning Bendigo!” by Merran Reed, pg. ?:
Why did the politician cross the road?
I don’t know, but he claimed $200 expenses for the journey.
     
11 December 2013, Cairns (Queensland) Post, pg. 21:
Why did the politician cross the road? No, I don’t know either, but he claimed $400 in travel expenses!
Higgs, Tolga
 
Twitter
Laurel Papworth
@SilkCharm
Why did the Politician cross the road? To claim $300 in expenses. #Booyah! #auspol #cheapshot. I’ll be here til Tuesday, try the veal. :D
3:27 PM - 12 Dec 2013
     
Twitter 
Wallace Teasdale
@wallacet_ben
Why did the politician cross the road…?Hmm… To get the travel allowance…
3:59 AM - 19 Dec 2013
 
30 May 2014, Loughborough (UK) Echo, “The major’s manifesto: ‘If a downed pheasant falls on your land - it’s yours’” by Mike Lockley, pg. 34:
The thought surfaced as I canvassed for votes. “Why did the politician cross the road?” shouted one floating voter through a bedroom window. “Because he claimed Pounds 80 travelling expenses for the journey.”
       
Twitter
joe wells
@_josephwells
Why did the politician cross the road? Because it meant he/she could claim travel expenses
7:14 AM - 25 Feb 2017
   
Twitter
Marty Fields
@Martyfields
Why did the federal politician cross the road?
No reason but they still claimed $300 travel expenses.
5:35 PM - 17 Sep 2018
 
3 October 2018, The Chronicle (Toowoomba, Queensland), “Have a Laugh,” pg. 20:
STREET WISE
Why did the politician cross the road? I don’t know, but he claimed $200 in expenses.
 
Twitter
Bob Kostic
@causticbob
Why did the politician cross the road?
Dunno, but he claimed £90 expenses for it.
4:55 PM - 6 Mar 2019