Tom Price traveled by private plane at least 24 times

[$tevie]

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.

Price’s 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.

http://www.politico.com/story/2017/09/21...hts-242989

[rgG]

Tom Price is a jerk. I am sorry to say he was our representative before becoming HHS head. Before that we had Newt boy. Now we have f'ing Karen Handel, who is a blithering idiot. Ugh. Man, I live in the reddest district, don't I. #SAD.

[davester]

rgG wrote: Ugh. Man, I live in the reddest district, don't I. #SAD.

Yes, but the good part is that you may be able to effect change. For myself, living in the bluest blue area of the bluest blue state in the country, my representatives are totally on board with my beliefs. I can't write to them to make things go better. You have some power in that you can call and/or write your representatives or attend town halls (assuming they have the moral guts to hold them) to register your opinions that may influence them. I hear that calling is the most effective way of influencing them. Do it! (please)

[Lux Interior]

You can't drain the swamp unless you first become the swamp.

Or something.

[rgG]

davester wrote:
[quote=rgG]Ugh. Man, I live in the reddest district, don't I. #SAD.

Yes, but the good part is that you may be able to effect change. For myself, living in the bluest blue area of the bluest blue state in the country, my representatives are totally on board with my beliefs. I can't write to them to make things go better. You have some power in that you can call and/or write your representatives or attend town halls (assuming they have the moral guts to hold them) to register your opinions that may influence them. I hear that calling is the most effective way of influencing them. Do it! (please)
I can guarantee that calling Karen Handel would be a complete waste of my time and only raise my BP.
The only semi sentitent Republican rep we have, in our district, is Senator Issakson and unfortunately he is old and in poor health and usually votes with the majority anyway. David Perdue, our other Senator, is completely without morals and is totally in Trump's camp.
I have a couple of blue friends that I can talk with about the issues, which helps, and we always vote, but it will take more diversity in the district, and that isn't happening very quickly.

[steve...]

Inspector general to investigate Price’s travel on private charter planes

Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price will face an inspector general’s investigation into his reported use of chartered jets for at least two dozen flights in recent months at taxpayer expense.

A spokeswoman for HHS Inspector General Daniel R. Levinson told The Washington Post on Friday that the agency will request records of Price’s travel and review the justification made by Price and his staff for the trips, which reportedly cost taxpayers a combined $300,000.

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.

Washington Post

[Acer]

You know, if he's jetting about getting stuff done, I would accept it. But somehow I doubt much of anything has been done. Anyone can feel free to prove me wrong.

[Lux Interior]

Acer wrote:
You know, if he's jetting about getting stuff done, I would accept it. But somehow I doubt much of anything has been done.

Actually, if that's the case, let him keep jetting around.

Probably cheaper than letting him implement any policy.

[Lemon Drop]

So Price is ditching the private jets until the IG's review is complete. He says sometimes he even takes 4 hour car rides...oh, the humanity.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/23/us/po...ml?mcubz=1

this is the man who is against expanded children's healthcare, against basic healthcare rights for women and transgender people, against shoring up medicare and medicaid, against requiring insurers to cover pre-existing conditions.
$400K could insure a lot of kids Tom, and you haven't even been in office for a year yet...