'Air Pelosi': House speaker's hefty travel expenses on military aircraft

(The Washington Times)

President Trump recently denied House Speaker Nancy Pelosi the use of a military aircraft for a congressional delegation trip to Afghanistan. Mr. Trump’s decision prompted Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton to revisit Mrs. Pelosi’s travel habits; the watchdog organization has tracked her use of military jets for more than a decade through Defense Department documents obtained through Freedom of Information requests.

“For years we have been exposing the lucrative travel our leaders enjoy at taxpayer expense. We have long noted Pelosi’s abuse of the perks of public office that granted her access to luxury military travel,” Mr. Fitton wrote in an op-ed titled “Air Pelosi” for Fox News, providing numerous examples.

“We reported in 2010 that Pelosi’s jet travel cost the Air Force $2,100,744.59 over a two-year period — $101,429.14 of which was for in-flight expenses, including food and alcohol,” Mr. Fitton said, noting that the average cost on an international congressional delegation trip was $228,563.33.

Of the 103 trips that Mrs. Pelosi led, 31 of them included members of the House speaker’s family, said Mr. Fitton, citing one trip to the Middle East for lawmakers and their spouses in 2008 that cost $17,931 per hour for the aircraft alone.

His investigation revealed other expenses.

“Purchases include Johnny Walker Red scotch, Grey Goose vodka, E&J brandy, Bailey’s Irish Cream, Maker’s Mark whiskey, Courvoisier cognac, Bacardi Light rum, Jim Beam whiskey, Beefeater gin, Dewar’s scotch, Bombay Sapphire gin, Jack Daniels whiskey, Corona beer and several bottles of wine,” Mr. Fitton noted. Read more