Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg made an unexpected visit to Ukraine on Wednesday as he is dogged by controversy over taxpayer-funded flights he took on private jets last year.
Buttigieg, 41, visited Kiev to meet with government leaders and discuss plans to revive the war-torn nation’s economy, including “supporting investments in transportation infrastructure,” according to a Department of Transportation news release.
The Cabinet member also named Robert Mariner as a senior advisor posted to the Ukrainian capital, citing his previous role as an advisor to the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan.
The trip took place as Buttigieg is fighting a lawsuit filed by a conservative watchdog group that hopes to obtain taxpayer costs for at least 18 trips by the former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, including eight excursions in August 2022 to the battleground states of Arizona. Florida, Minnesota, Ohio, Nevada and New Hampshire.
Pete Buttigieg made a surprise trip to Ukraine on Wednesday, as controversy rages over taxpayer-funded flights he took on private jets last year. UKRAINIAN PRESIDENTIAL PRESS SER/AFP via Getty Images
On Tuesday, Department of Transportation lawyers informed the group Americans for Public Trust (APT) that it would not fully disclose the costs of the flights due to safety concerns, adding that private jets have been used in response to scheduling restrictions, Fox reported. News. .
“The Secretary travels on commercial airlines the vast majority of the time and has directed that travel and logistics decisions be based on the efficient and responsible use of taxpayer dollars,” a DOT spokesperson told the outlet.
“The exceptions have been when Department ethics officials, who have served under both Democratic and Republican administrations, determined that the use of a 9-seat FAA [Federal Aviation Administration] The planes would be more cost-effective or would have to be approved for exceptional scheduling or safety reasons.”
Department of Transportation attorneys told Americans for Public Trust that the costs of Buttigieg’s flight would not be disclosed for security reasons. Courier Journal / USA Today Network
Those trips were made to highlight infrastructure grants provided by President Biden’s Infrastructure and Investment Jobs Act of 2021, and 10 of the flights cost taxpayers a total of $31,255.72, the FAA told APT.
Caitlin Sutherland, executive director of Americans for Public Trust, said Buttigieg appeared “to be politicizing his role” by making the trips to swing states and was evading “accountability and transparency.”
“Secretary Buttigieg continues to ignore the American people who simply want to know the true cost of their taxpayer-funded private jet travel,” Sutherland said in a statement.
Ten of the flights conducted to highlight infrastructure grants provided by President Biden’s Infrastructure and Investment Jobs Act of 2021 cost taxpayers a total of $31,255.72, the FAA told APT.AP
“After multiple FOIA requests, a lawsuit and an ongoing inspector general investigation, Buttigieg’s office still refuses to provide vital details about the use of a private government jet for a tour of swing states, which “It seems more like a campaign than official DOT business.”
In September, Buttigieg addressed the controversy during a House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee hearing.
“I appreciate the opportunity to discuss this, because I can’t help it. [but] I get the feeling that some people want to make it seem like I don’t travel on commercial airplanes most of the time, which of course isn’t true,” Buttigieg said in response to a question from Rep. Eric Burlison (R-Mo.) about the flights.
“I think the irony for most people in my district is that they are told they will have to switch to electric vehicles to reduce their carbon footprint, and yet not everyone can travel like you do.” Burlison replied.
Buttigieg visited kyiv to meet with government leaders and discuss plans to revive the war-torn nation’s economy, according to a press release.zelenskiy_official/Instagram
“The way I normally travel is in economy class on board an airplane, like everyone else,” Buttigieg responded. “When we do it differently, it’s often because it will save taxpayers money.”
The 2020 Democratic presidential candidate informed the House panel that he had made 638 flights during his tenure as Secretary of Transportation, 607 of which were commercial, 10 of which were on military aircraft such as Air Force One and 21 on airliners. the FAA.
Americans for Public Trust revealed in December 2022 that 18 of those 21 trips were taken on Cessna 560XL private jets managed by the FAA.
Two months later, the Transportation Department’s Office of Inspector General launched its own investigation into the flights.
Buttigieg is not the only Cabinet official who has taken such trips. Her predecessor, Elaine Chao, took seven private flights in 2017, totaling $94,000 in taxpayer funds, according to Politico.
Former Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price resigned that same year for costing taxpayers $1.2 million on 26 private jet trips.
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Source: vtt.edu.vn