Transportation Pete Buttigieg and his advisors are under investigation over taxpayer-funded flights, but the Biden administration’s Department of Transportation (DOT) is reportedly refusing to provide details.
According to a report by Fox News Digital, the DOT and their Freedom of Information Act office have declined to explain how much money Buttigieg’s recent flights have cost taxpayers.
The Transportation Department’s withholding of the information comes amid an inspector general audit of the flights, which utilized a fleet managed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA),
“The DOT and the agency’s Freedom of Information Act office both declined to detail how much each flight cost taxpayers over the course of multiple months and in recent weeks,” the report states. “The stonewalling comes amid an ongoing inspector general audit of Buttigieg’s use of the planes, which are part of a small fleet managed by the Federal Aviation Administration.”
(Lorie Shaull / Flickr)
“It’s inexcusable that Secretary Buttigieg’s agency is hiding the detailed costs of these taxpayer-funded flights,” said Americans for Public Trust executive director Caitlin Sutherland. “Federal law dictates a timely release of exactly these types of records to the public.”
“The American people are entitled to know the true cost of Buttigieg and his entourage of staffers flying private to destinations that have readily available commercial options,” Sutherland noted.
According to reports, Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) requested that Buttigieg’s “excessive” travels be investigated after a December media report revealed that the Transportation chief flew on FAA aircraft 18 times since Joe Biden took office in January 2021.
The Senator’s request preceded the DOT inspector general’s announcement last month that Buttigieg’s flying would be investigated.
This morning I’m in East Palestine, Ohio, to see the site of the Norfolk Southern derailment, hear updates from investigators, and meet first responders. USDOT will continue its work to ensure safety and accountability. pic.twitter.com/okA6WI7uzI
— Secretary Pete Buttigieg (@SecretaryPete) February 23, 2023
“Sadly, reports of unnecessary secrecy and selective release of information are all too common when discussing the self-proclaimed most transparent administration in history,” Chamberlain said. “And it appears that the more high-profile the issue or event, the greater the efforts to hide the information the public deserves to know.”
“Contrary to what some agencies appear to believe, saving powerful officials from disclosure or embarrassment is not a legitimate reason to keep the public in the dark.”
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