Price of finer things
Politico has done taxpayers a great service by exposing the outrageous travel practices of Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price, who has apparently decided that when it comes to air travel, private is the only way to go — even when conducting government business.
In the span of three days last week Price took private jets on five flights, Politico reported Thursday, “at a cost of tens of thousands of dollars more than commercial travel.” One trip was a quick turn-around from D.C. to Philadelphia. Another took him to Maine and New Hampshire. All were to locations that are within driving distance of major airports with frequent commercial flights. Politico puts the total cost of his charter travel since taking office at a minimum $300,000.
A spokeswoman for HHS told Politico that “when commercial aircraft cannot reasonably accommodate travel requirements, charter aircraft can be used for official travel.”
It’s the agency’s expansive definition of “reasonably” that’s the problem here.
In addition to the dreadful decision to charge taxpayers for what appears to be his comfort and convenience HHS has also tried to shroud Price’s travel habits in a veil of noble duty, telling Politico that his schedule is “demanding” and this month involved coordination of the response to major hurricanes.
But the news outlet reported that Price had taken at least 17 private flights before Hurricane Harvey was even a glint in Mother Nature’s eye — at least 24 since he was confirmed as secretary.
Now, we were hardly shocked when it was reported that Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin had inquired about using an Air Force jet for his European honeymoon (the request was withdrawn). That inquiry was astonishing in its hubris, to be sure, but Mnuchin is a former banker, Goldman Sachs executive and Hollywood film producer.
Price, on the other hand, served as a Republican in Congress for 12 years and is an avowed critic of excessive federal spending.
In other words, of anyone in the cabinet he ought to know better.