Judicial Watch finds Pelosi uses military as air taxi; $22,000 per hour for luxury jet

Judicial Watch, the public interest group that investigates and prosecutes government corruption, announced Tuesday that it has obtained documents from the Department of Defense (DOD) detailing House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's multiple requests for military air travel. [Ed. Note: The Republican National Congressional Committee said the military "luxury jet" costs taxpayers $22,000 per hour. Watch the video below for more on Pelosi's first 100 days after the Democrats regained control of Congress almost three years ago.]

The documents, obtained by Judicial Watch through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), include internal DOD email correspondence detailing attempts by DOD staff to accommodate Pelosi's numerous requests for military escorts and military aircraft as well as the speaker's last minute cancellations and changes. The following are a few highlights from the documents; links to the docs are available on the JW website:

•In response to a series of requests for military aircraft, one Defense Department official wrote, "Any chance of politely querying [Pelosi's team] if they really intend to do all of these or are they just picking every weekend?...[T]here's no need to block every weekend 'just in case'..." The email also notes that Pelosi's office had, "a history of canceling many of their past requests."

•One DOD official complained about the "hidden costs" associated with the speaker's last minute changes and cancellations. "We have...folks prepping the jets and crews driving in (not a short drive for some), cooking meals and preflighting the jets etc."

•The documents include a discussion of House Ethics rules and Defense Department policies as they apply to the speaker's requests for staff, spouses and extended family to accompany her on military aircraft. In May 2008, for example, Pelosi requested that her husband join her on a Congressional Delegation (CODEL) into Iraq. The DOD explained to Pelosi that the agency has a written policy prohibiting spouses from joining CODEL's into combat zones.

•Documents obtained from the U.S. Army include correspondence from Speaker Pelosi's office requesting an Army escort and three military planes to transport Pelosi and other members of Congress to Cleveland, Ohio, for the funeral services of the late Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones. Pelosi noted in her letter of August 22, 2008, that such a request, labeled "Operation Tribute" was an "exception to standard policy."

•The documents also detail correspondence from intermediaries for Speaker Pelosi issuing demands for certain aircraft and expressing outrage when requested military planes were not available. "It is my understanding there are no G5s available for the House during the Memorial Day recess. This is totally unacceptable...The speaker will want to know where the planes are..." wrote Kay King, Director of the House Office of Interparliamentary Affairs. In a separate email, when told a certain type of aircraft would not be available, King writes, "This is not good news, and we will have some very disappointed folks, as well as a very upset [s]peaker."

•During another email exchange DOD staff advised Kay King that one Pelosi military aircraft request could not be met because of "crew rest requirements" and offered to help secure commercial travel. Kay King responded: "We appreciate the efforts to help the codel [sic] fly commercially but you know the problem that creates with spouses. If we can find another way to assist with military assets, we would like to do that."

Speaker Pelosi came under fire in 2007 for requesting a 42-seat Air Force carrier to ferry the Speaker and her staff back and forth between San Francisco, CA and Washington, DC. Former House Speaker Dennis Hastert was allowed access to a 12-seat commuter jet for security reasons after the events of 9/11.

"Taken together, these documents show that Speaker Pelosi treats the Air Force like her personal airline," said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton. "Not only does Speaker Pelosi issue unreasonable requests for military travel, but her office seems unconcerned about wasting taxpayer money with last minute cancellations and other demands." [Source: Judicial Watch news release, Mar. 10, 2009]

The video below captures information about Pelosi's first 100 days as Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives. It's produced by the Republican National Congressional Committee, so the take is partisan, but the selected facts are true to the best of our knowledge. The video aired in April, 2007, shortly after Pelosi pledged to restore integrity to Congress. This latest revelation, coupled with many others noted in our columns, illustrate her complete failure to keep her pledge.

Comments

[Bryan Del Monte]

Kay -

Wow... is all I have to say. I just read all the emails.

For your reader's sake - I have extensive experience in both obtaining MILAIR aircraft bookings as well as actually flying (and accompanying) CODEL's. I am very familiar with the people (blocked out) in those emails. They are good people and it's clear to me that they tried to be as accomodating as possible - fulfill the mission.

What Pelosi was asking for was absolutely ridiculous. I'm sorry - you want transcontinental in-flight refueling? And you're pissed off when you find out they'll only do it for the President? Excuse me? It could cost close to a MILLION dollars to set up in-flight refueling to go from DC to Baghdad non-stop. Each KC-135 costs about 10K an hour to loiter. They have to divert tankers from all over the WORLD to make that happen. Plus they put crews on stand by, extra planes on stand by. When TRANSCOM has to make it happen - they make it happen... but Pelosi thinking she can just fly from A to B without a refuel stop... wow... for some reason that really pissed me off. Going from DC to Baghdad without stopping isn't a simple thing... it really isn't.

... and then she wanted Hubby to fly along for free... into a combat zone. Why so he could take some family photos?

I was really appalled. She was all mad because she couldn't have a G5. Well boo frickin hoo Madam Speaker. Why don't you appropriate more funds for the air force to buy a fleet of airplanes for you. The 110th Congress slashed the VIP/Mil Air budget in part in response to DEMOCRAT claims of Republicans ferrying around people. I should know - I was on some of those alleged junkets.

Pelosi's staffers are acting like thugs in these emails. I'm sorry - unfortunately they take advantage of the military guys who try everything they can to make the civilian leadership happy. They do so out of a deep committment to civilian leadership of the military... and Congress routinely takes advantage of that sense of loyalty. It's sickening.

Mil Air is a scarce resource... and Princess Pelosi flying around like she's the President.... it's really appalling. She should really be quite ashamed. Even if this is just a "small sampling" of her conduct... it's quite ridiculous... even for Congress.

Bryan

[Kay]

Bryan--as always honored to find you hanging 'round our modest site.

I'm still trying to verify that $22,000 figure you asked me about last night. I'm not sure how they arrived at that figure (RNCC) and I'm assuming it includes all related costs (personnel, food prep etc.).

My problem with it is the same as yours: the attitudes in the emails linked to by JW.

I've said it often--Congress needs a cleanup. Both parties are failing at listening to fiscal conservatives within their own ranks.

But when the chips fall, those chips usually fall harder on the GOPers.

again, thanks, Bryan, for input and for service to our country!
best, Kay

P.S. Visit Bryan's site at rightcommentary.com.