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Traveling in style: Trump's White House wrestles with Cabinet costs
Do. Not. Be. Distracted.
Retweeted by David Fahrenthold: https://twitter.com/Fahrenthold
IG investigations continue into Cabinet travel as “drain the swamp” gets a closer look. https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/federal_government/traveling-in-style-trumps-white-house-wrestles-with-cabinet-costs/2017/10/08/8e6debaa-a953-11e7-92d1-58c702d2d975_story.html … w/ @drewharwell @Reinlwapo
Link to tweet
The Fed Page
Traveling in style: Trump’s White House wrestles with Cabinet costs
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and wife Louise Linton exit Marine One in July. Mnuchin and other Cabinet officials have come under scrutiny for their use of private and military jets. (Jonathan Ernst/Reuters)
By Drew Harwell, Lisa Rein and Jack Gillum By Drew Harwell, Lisa Rein and Jack Gillum
The Fed Page
October 8 at 7:27 PM Follow @drewharwell Follow @Reinlwapo Follow @jackgillum
The Trump administration, one of the wealthiest in modern U.S. history, is facing widening criticism over travel expenditures among some of the billionaires, budget hawks and business executives who head federal agencies. ... Inspectors general have opened at least five investigations into charter or military flights by Cabinet officials amounting to millions in federal spending. Their decisions to veer away from cheaper commercial flights have led to criticism from Democrats in Congress and government accountability groups about a culture of entitlement in Trump’s administration.
New examples of questioned expenditures include those of Energy Secretary Rick Perry, who on Friday turned over his travel records under pressure from House Oversight Committee Chairman Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.) and the panel’s top Democrat, Rep. Elijah E. Cummings (Md.). Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt faces an expanding investigation into his travel by private jet. ... The drumbeat of controversy over Cabinet travel threatens to undermine a core pillar of Trump’s relationship with his base — his promise to “drain the swamp” of elite Washington, rein in waste and represent the working class.
Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin last week backed out of a congressional trip to Europe, The Washington Post learned, after criticism about another international outing, which combined official travel with sightseeing and a Wimbledon tennis event. And Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke faced new criticism about his travel — often accompanied by his wife, who is managing a Republican campaign in Montana — which included stops at political fundraisers and donor events.
Adding to the costs are travel accommodations for Cabinet aides, guests and security details, who accompany secretaries on all trips. Thus far, officials have assumed no financial responsibility for passengers on their flights. Tom Price, a wealthy Georgia physician who resigned at the end of last month as secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, ran up charter costs of more than $500,000 but pledged a $51,887 check to reimburse the government for his seats. An HHS spokesman told The Post that Price “was under no obligation” to pay but that this was “him wanting to make a gesture.” ... Trump senior adviser Kellyanne Conway, who traveled with Price several times, is unlikely to repay the government for her travel cost, the White House said, because she was a guest.
....
Caitlin Dewey, Amy Goldstein, Jenna Johnson and Julie Tate contributed to this report.
Traveling in style: Trump’s White House wrestles with Cabinet costs
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and wife Louise Linton exit Marine One in July. Mnuchin and other Cabinet officials have come under scrutiny for their use of private and military jets. (Jonathan Ernst/Reuters)
By Drew Harwell, Lisa Rein and Jack Gillum By Drew Harwell, Lisa Rein and Jack Gillum
The Fed Page
October 8 at 7:27 PM Follow @drewharwell Follow @Reinlwapo Follow @jackgillum
The Trump administration, one of the wealthiest in modern U.S. history, is facing widening criticism over travel expenditures among some of the billionaires, budget hawks and business executives who head federal agencies. ... Inspectors general have opened at least five investigations into charter or military flights by Cabinet officials amounting to millions in federal spending. Their decisions to veer away from cheaper commercial flights have led to criticism from Democrats in Congress and government accountability groups about a culture of entitlement in Trump’s administration.
New examples of questioned expenditures include those of Energy Secretary Rick Perry, who on Friday turned over his travel records under pressure from House Oversight Committee Chairman Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.) and the panel’s top Democrat, Rep. Elijah E. Cummings (Md.). Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt faces an expanding investigation into his travel by private jet. ... The drumbeat of controversy over Cabinet travel threatens to undermine a core pillar of Trump’s relationship with his base — his promise to “drain the swamp” of elite Washington, rein in waste and represent the working class.
Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin last week backed out of a congressional trip to Europe, The Washington Post learned, after criticism about another international outing, which combined official travel with sightseeing and a Wimbledon tennis event. And Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke faced new criticism about his travel — often accompanied by his wife, who is managing a Republican campaign in Montana — which included stops at political fundraisers and donor events.
Adding to the costs are travel accommodations for Cabinet aides, guests and security details, who accompany secretaries on all trips. Thus far, officials have assumed no financial responsibility for passengers on their flights. Tom Price, a wealthy Georgia physician who resigned at the end of last month as secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, ran up charter costs of more than $500,000 but pledged a $51,887 check to reimburse the government for his seats. An HHS spokesman told The Post that Price “was under no obligation” to pay but that this was “him wanting to make a gesture.” ... Trump senior adviser Kellyanne Conway, who traveled with Price several times, is unlikely to repay the government for her travel cost, the White House said, because she was a guest.
....
Caitlin Dewey, Amy Goldstein, Jenna Johnson and Julie Tate contributed to this report.
I have a question for DU's accountants. Won't Kellyanne Conway have to report this "gift," evidently from the grateful taxpayers of the United States, on her income taxes for 2017? It has to worth something. I certainly didn't get one of these.
I am not an accountant, but I come from a long line of accountants. They were all RW, but they were also straight arrows when it came to accounting. They didn't always accept without question the IRS's interpretation of things, but this is why tax courts exist.
I'm betting I already know the answer to this one. No one in my family would have put up with this crap.
