Feds probe his sky-high Price

WASHINGTON — Federal investigators are examining Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price’s recent use of costly charter flights on the taxpayers’ dime for official business.

The HHS inspector general’s office said Friday the agency is reviewing Price’s charters to see if they violated government travel regulations, which generally require officials to minimize costs.

“We take this matter very seriously, and when questions arose about potentially inappropriate travel, we immediately began assessing the issue,” said Tesia Williams, spokeswoman for the department’s inspector general.

Politico reported this week that Price had taken at least 24 charter flights since early May.

Congressional Democrats say Price wasted taxpayer dollars by chartering private planes for official business when other cheaper options were available. Price is a former chairman of the House Budget Committee, where he was a frequent critic of wasteful spending.

Price’s office maintains he has a demanding schedule and it’s not always feasible for him to fly on commercial flights.