Price traveled by private plane at least 24 times
Source: Politico
By RACHANA PRADHAN and DAN DIAMOND
09/21/2017 05:58 PM EDT
Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price has taken at least 24 flights on private charter planes at taxpayers expense since early May, according to people with knowledge of his travel plans and a review of HHS documents.
The frequency of the trips underscores how private travel has become the norm rather than the exception for the Georgia Republican during his tenure atop the federal health agency, which began in February. The cost of the trips identified by POLITICO exceeds $300,000, according to a review of federal contracts and similar trip itineraries.
Prices use of private jets represents a sharp departure from his two immediate predecessors, Sylvia Mathews Burwell and Kathleen Sebelius, who flew commercially in the continental United States. HHS officials have said Price uses private jets only when commercial travel is not feasible.
But many of the flights are between large cities with frequent, low-cost airline traffic, such as a trip from Washington to Nashville that the secretary took on June 6 to make a morning event at a medication distributor and an afternoon speech. There are four regular nonstop flights that leave Washington-area airports between 6:59 a.m. and 8:50 a.m. and arrive in Nashville by 9:46 a.m. CT. Sample round-trip fares for those flights were as low as $202, when booked in advance on Orbitz.com. Prices charter, according to HHS contract with Classic Air Charter, cost $17,760.
Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2017/09/21/tom-price-private-charter-plane-flights-242989
Tom is Pricey!
yardwork
(61,703 posts)ffr
(22,671 posts)Believe me, if tRump gets word of this, he'll bankrupt the guy to get us taxpayers whole.
Sucha NastyWoman
(2,754 posts)that? Well you were mistaken.
He meant liberals, democrats and any government employees hired by Obama.
Just a difference in definition of swamp denizens. If the press had asked he probably would have said as much.
ffr
(22,671 posts)And look at viewership numbers they're getting today. It worked!
We're all just suckers in this big game that we cannot participate in.
Major Nikon
(36,827 posts)"I think we've made it halfway of where we ought to and that is cut it from eight to four jets," Price said at the time. "Now we need to cut it from four jets to zero jets. This is just another example of fiscal irresponsibility run amok in Congress right now."
-- Tom Price, 2009
mahatmakanejeeves
(57,600 posts)BBG
(2,550 posts)Does someone have financial interest in DC based air charter business? Obviously yes but who? Or is it whom?
JDC
(10,133 posts)not fooled
(5,801 posts)Insider-trading Tom should be in Federal prison, not the Cabinet.
Another puke asshole.
Geez, the voters who used to elect him are stupid.
Scurrilous
(38,687 posts)BigmanPigman
(51,627 posts)he takes planes between Philly and DC and considering the traffic at the airport it is much faster to drive. This is the most unethical and corrupt government in my lifetime.
greymattermom
(5,754 posts)After dinner, I'd drive to 30th St station, park, then get on the next train. When I got to DC, I'd get the metro. I loved not having to plan ahead or make reservations. This was for government consulting work, too, and so much easier than going to either airport.
calimary
(81,466 posts)Gee, livin' it up on the American taxpayer, eh, Price? Appropriate last name this asshole has, isn't it.
Grassy Knoll
(10,118 posts)...And Tim Kaine Would Be #46.
3catwoman3
(24,042 posts)...all the time about the so-called "entitlement" programs. They seem to feel pretty damned entitled themselves.