From the moment Nancy Pelosi became Speaker of the House the first time, she has had a history of abusing the use of military planes.
She allowed relatives to travel with her, stocked the bar with top-shelf liquors at the taxpayer’s expense and last minute cancellations of flights that cost an enormous amount of money.
Andrea Mitchell, a charter member of the special needs journalists blasted President Trump for canceling Pelosi and the Democrat’s flight, saying that it cost a lot of money to prepare the plane for the flight. But somehow, she neglected to mention that Pelosi has done the same thing dozens of time.
Pelosi put in a standing order for a plane every weekend and the military would prepare a plane and would start cooking meals to be served on the flights to California. Pelosi would constantly cancel those flights at the last moment. The military complained about the practice because it was unnecessary to schedule a flight every weekend when they could have a plane ready in just a couple of hours.
What about it Andrea? And how many Speakers stocked their plane bar with over $100,000 dollars of very expensive hooch? Both Boehner and Ryan used commercial flights.
Conservative watchdog group Judicial Watch uncovered Pelosi’s abuse of military travel on taxpayer dime which included bringing members of her family aboard and serving them top shelf liquor.
“Purchases for one Pelosi-led CODEL on May 15-20, 2008 included: Johnny Walker Red scotch, Grey Goose vodka, E&J brandy, Bailey’s Irish Crème, Maker’s Mark whiskey, Courvoisier cognac, Bacardi Light rum, Jim Beam whiskey, Beefeater gin, Dewar’s scotch, Bombay Sapphire gin,” Tom Fitton said.
“Speaker Pelosi used the Air Force aircraft for a total of 85 trips, covering 206,264 miles, from March 2, 2009 through June 7, 2010. Pelosi, her guests and Air Force personnel logged a total of 428.6 hours on these flights,” Mr. Fitton added.
Judicial Watch documented all of the “hidden costs” associated with Pelosi’s constant cancellations, last minute changes and outrageous demands going back to 2009:
- 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.”