Investigation launched into Price’s travel on charter jets

The Health and Human Services inspector general is investigating Secretary Tom Price’s reported use of chartered planes for at least two dozen flights in recent months at taxpayer expense, a spokeswoman said Friday.

Investigators will seek records of Price’s travel and review the justifications that he and his staff gave for the trips, the spokeswoman for HHS Inspector General Daniel R. Levinson said.

House Democrats wrote to Levinson, an appointee of President George W. Bush, on Wednesday requesting the investigation. They said the flights appeared to violate federal law designed to make sure executive branch officials use the most economical travel available.

Democrats cited aPolitico reportthat Price last week took five private charter flights along routes and at times when commercial flights were available for a fraction of the cost. In a second story, the news organization reported that the Georgia Republican has taken at least 24 such flights since May. The flights cost taxpayers a reported $300,000.

“The review focuses on whether the travel complied with Federal Travel Regulations, but may encompass other issues related to the travel,” said Tesia D. Williams, the spokeswoman. “We take this matter very seriously, and when questions arose about potentially inappropriate travel, we immediately began assessing the issue. I can confirm that work is underway and will be completed as soon as possible.”

Price’s office this week sought to justify his use of chartered jets, saying that the secretary’s office evaluates the most effective way for him to travel and finds that it is sometimes necessary to charter planes to allow Price to both manage one of the largest executive branch agencies and stay grounded with voters.

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“This is Secretary Price, getting outside of D.C., making sure he is connected with the real American people,” said Charmaine Yoest, his assistant secretary for public affairs.

Yoest said that early in his tenure in the Trump administration, Price was delayed at an airport and forced to cancel a public event.

“Wasting four hours in an airport and having the secretary cancel his event is not a good use of taxpayer money,” Yoest said.