Air Pelosi update: Speaker’s taxpayer-funded friends & family shuttle Updated
Photoshop credit: Bucktown Dusty
Last March, I spotlighted documents obtained by the invaluable Judicial Watch pertaining to Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi’s military travel demands — zeroing in on her diva request in December 2008 to have the military reposition a military jet from San Francisco Airport to Travis Air Force base so she wouldn’t have to drive an hour and half.
Refreshers:
Nancy Pelosi: The Jennifer Lopez of congressional travelers
Pelosi 2007: Hey, I’m happy to fly commercial
Pelosi: ‘I never demanded a bigger plane’; Evidence: ‘Yes, she did’
Well, Judicial Watch has a new trove of FOIA documents on Air Pelosi spotlighting Queen Nancy’s expensive travel habits.
And Doug Ross digs into the documents to show that “she also appears to have requisitioned entire flights for the personal use of her children and grandchildren. That is, unaccompanied by any member of Congress, her kids, in-laws and grandchildren are utilizing entire military passenger jets for their routine travel needs.”
San Francisco patriotism: Using military jets as taxpayer-funded friends & family shuttles. All aboard!
***
Tom Fitton at Judicial Watch sends the following clarification/correction re. Doug’s post:
Mr. Ross,
We saw your analysis of the recent Pelosi flight documents Judicial Watch obtained from the Air Force.
Double-checking, we found documents we obtained last year on this issue. The other documents seem to show that the Speaker was on most if not all of the flights in question.
Of course, there are legitimate criticisms for her flying her “dependent” forty-something son and other family members around via luxury jets for coach rates, but it looks like she was, at least, on the flights with them.
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She is such a piece of garbage. Hope San Fran Nan gets thrown out with the rest of the elected trash in the forseeable future.
This has to be at the very minimum an ethics violation, if not an actual federal crime.
Any chances of an investigation?
If these allegations are true it’s a serious breach of ethics and I’d think Ms. Pelosi should be required to reimburse the taxpayers every penny spent to provide those travel services.
Yeah, when pigs fly.
Progressives are arrogant elitism and the rest of us are peons. Time for the peons to take over.
Michelle, so glad you posted this example of transparency by Pelosi.
Pelosi’s use of military aircraft/travel looks disgusting.
But let’s be careful. Some of those requests for her family to travel by military air simply look like requests for them to be placed on the manifest of existing flights or to be considered at the time multipurpose flights are being scheduled.
I think Doug Ross needs to be very careful about his claim that “unaccompanied… kids, in-laws and grandchildren are utilizing entire military passenger jets for their routine travel needs.” I really need to see more evidence that dedicated flights were arranged for unaccompanied family.
He, heh, BWAAAAAAAHAHAHAHA!!!
Stop! Yer killin’ me! BWAAAAAA….
Let her drive!
Road tripping is more fun anyway! Maybe if she actually SAW the very people she claims to represent she would change her views.
Investigations? Not while Eric Holder, the arrogance of Michele Obama and the dems in charge of the ethics committee are in still in place. Once they are removed, the spineless Republicans will turn the other cheek in order to restore “harmony”. In other words, nothing will happen.
Times change, but at one point I do believe a civilian flying on a military aircraft in this manner had to be authorized to do so in writing by the Secretary of Defense, because it was considered a fundamental exception to policy.
I believe SanFran Nan should have her own military plane on permanent standby.
http://www.shuttertalk.com/forums/images/upload/90_Fokker%20Triplane.jpg
Geeezzzz Corkie, get a clue. This woman has been living on the taxpayers dime for so long she thinks she is “entitled” to it. I resent every penny of mine she has ever wasted !!!
The Wicked Witch of the West needs to upgrade her broom.
LOLROF !!!! Wish I had said that.
A Republican House might be able to bring her up on ethics charges in 2011, and, IIRC, if they have the sackitude, even expel her from the House.
Did we have a story yet on Pelotox’s $100k bar tab on the USAF jets?
Perhaps if Pelosi’s plane permit was revoked we would have enough money for NASA’s new shuttle.
The military can’t claim alcohol as a re-imbursable expense on their travel vouchers! Neither should Congress! If Her High-and-mighty-ness wants a bottle of Dom on a flight, she needs to get our her friggin’ personal checkbook.
Or fly on her brooom through the rain.
Which is why her requests are sent to SecDef.
Corkie: Retired military members and their families can fly “Space A” (space available) on military aircraft, but they are at the whim of the system — they get on when told and they fly to wherever the airplane happens to be going. They can also get half-way to their destination and be booted off because priorty-wise they fall below active-duty members doing the same and both parties come AFTER military members traveling on official business.
Since when do Queen Nancy’s kids, their spouses and children qualify for such a perk? If they want the perk they can get it the same way any veteran does — serve a minimum of 20 years in the military!
This is just another example of the privileged ruling class. Wonder what SanFranNan’s “Let them eat cake!” moment will be?
How does this fall on deaf ears in the MSM? Blatant waste, nose thumbing thief.
Are you sure she didn’t? It seems as if the military was definitely paid for these commissary items. It’s possible that Congress reimbursed the traveler for these expenses, but I’m not sure evidence of that exists yet.
A little OT here, but I just saw this on Drudge, where the POTUS is bowing again. This time, the Mayer of Tampa, FL.
What is it with these people?
Oops, forgat to add the link.
http://news.yahoo.com/nphotos/slideshow/photo//100128/480/b07861589f354ce698c3bf88b741d692/
There is absolutely no justification for Speaker Pelosi’s family to be traveling by military flights. Her office should provide answers and explanations.
Her travel is one thing. This is entirley different.
According to the FOIA documents, it appears that Pelosi’s family was also at the “whim” of the system – although less of a whim than flying Space A.
I’m not claiming that it’s ok for Pelosi’s family to be manifested on military flights. I’m claiming that there’s a difference between being manifested on an existing flight and having a dedicated flight scheduled.
What Pelosi is doing is wrong. But the criticism will be much more effective if it’s accurate.
Whoa! Pe-Lo is not Jo-Lo!
Not by any stretch of the imagination or spandex…
I read through the sample of FOIA documents and have some understanding of the military flight scheduling system.
In other words, I have a clue. Do you?
That’s pretty harsh there “Z.” Cut the lady some slack. She’s only worth $300 million.
The Bush Administration started letting the Speaker fly after 9/11, because he was high in the chain of succession.
Now that Obama has declared there is no war on terror, and he has bowed and gorveled in Egypt and made the Muslims love us, boxer bomber excluded, and Major Hassan was just a nut with combat fatigue/PTSD despite never having been deployed out of CONUS, well, its time for Madame Speaker to fly business class on United or Delta again.
Hey, I’m OK with it. An F-16 has 11 hardpoints, so as far as I’m concerned, they can load her up along with her family and drop them off in their driveways.
If you want to make a statement, the Tea Party should sponsor someone to run against Pelosi.
The Tea Party message is the right message. The government is spending too much money. The solution to most all of our future problems is to get the government to stop spending money.
This is evidence that Pelosi spends more of everyone else’s money than anyone. She IS the problem.
I looked at some of the FOI documents and I have some follow up questions. On the ones that I saw it showed that Pelosi’s son was authorized to fly for official businees.
I, as a taxpayer, would liek to know what this official business is. From what I can see this is the latest job that Jr. has. IF this is still his job how could it be that he is traveling on official business?
She can’t be flying n a C-17. She has her own acquisitioned 737, military type. Which is way too big for her needs. This began in 2006.
Dang. There’s an image that’ll make you lose your lunch.
What does she care? She knows that her seat is safe. The idiots in San Francisco will reelect her no matter what she does. Plus, she also knows that even if the GOP wins back Congress next year, they don’t have the “fortitude” to ever investigate her. She can flip the bird to the American taxpayer all she wants and get away with it.
I’ve never made this connection before, but Nan is no better than a welfare recipient unwilling to get off the government teat.
Or even a C-5.
That’s Fat Albert in the picture.
I always figured spandex to be kinda like microphones. They can be a good thing or bad thing depending on who’s using them.
I propose we refurbish this low milage, one owner model and let Nan have it as her personal aircraft. PLENTY OF ROOM for the kids.
http://www.johnweeks.com/c124/c124pima.html
This may be a dumb question, but if she’s not on board can’t the air force just say no?
Surely you’re not confusing a C-5 with, the Fat Albert, the Blue Angels C-130.
That’s not a dumb question. In fact, I wish the critics were asking themselves this, too.
The extent to which the DoD allows the Air Force (or more likely, the airlift command) to say no isn’t described. More than half of her requests may have been declined.
That doesn’t make the other half ok. It would just provide a bigger picture to this story.
Corkie Said
Well I would like to see a FoIA request on the peramiters of a military aircraft reequest from EVERYONE in congress and the white house
Michelle,
That up-date is amoung the numerous reasons I love your site. You tell the truth when you get it. Thanks. The msm would never correct the facts as fast as you did.
L
Her plane has been described in the media as a 767, 757, 737….because the media never lets the facts get in the way.
The best way to end this nonsense is to see to it there are no longer enough Democrats in the House for her to be Speaker.
If there is a Contract with America for 2010, make that pledge prominent that when she goes this perk goes.
Corkie: Them being at the whim of the system doesn’t give them any more right than a man off the street. Space A was made available for our men and women who are serving or who have served in the armed forces. As an active duty guy I slept in a terminal one evening for the privilege of flying Space A. But, I had to drive an hour and a half to get there and on the return flight, I was “dumped” some 250 miles from where I wanted to be. The only redeeming factor — the price couldn’t be beat!
Aloha Guy: Every F-16 I ever flew had only 7 hard-points — counting the missile rails on the wingtips. But, I guess you could count the hard-head in the cockpit and make it an even 8.
On the other hand, the A-10′s I flew DID have 11 hard points so we could carry lots of goodies for the baddies!
I’m thinking it would save money to fund NASA’s moon rocket, put Nanny Botox and the Dem caucus on it (with enough fuel for a one way trip) and light that baby off.
Now that would be one giant leap for mankind.
You cannnot compare what the military does with the acts of our congressional leaders.
For the most part, the military must abide by a set of government rules and ethics that our political leaders, when drafting the rules, conveniently decided they would not apply to the rules to themselves.
As an aside. I received an e-mail today on ‘Tenthers’. Basically, are you a Tenther kind of thing. I decided to have a little fun with it and posted my reply. http://wp.me/pLGBN-2b
I guess they’ll just have to hang onto the kiddies!
You’re the expert, my F-16 experience is Googling…
Whatever. Don’t argue with yourself. I didn’t justify the travel of Pelosi’s family because it may have been at the whim of the system.
I’m claiming that there’s a difference between being allowed to board existing flights and having a dedicated flight created for the benefit of family members.
I just want the criticism to be accurate so that it’s effective.
Given my knowledge and experience, I believed there was something wrong with the original story spin. The correction Michelle posted for this may be the first of several.
Kinda makes me want to go buy a bunch of tuna.
Tom Fitton at Judicial Watch sends the following clarification/correction re. Doug’s post:
“The other documents seem to show that the Speaker was on most if not all of the flights in question.”
Huh? Well Tommy, which is it? — some? or all? (becasue even one flight requisitioned for her family and she’s not there is WRONG!
and you obtained the document last year? what month? If, say, June, that would leave Madame Speaker wiuth a half a year or more to shuttle her idiot family and friends around.
Corkie: I’m not. I said they should NOT be flying just because their Mommy is the Speaker. They haven’t earned the right and they should be on a commercial flight, along with the rest of us.
Then let’s get to the bottom of this and determine if ANY active-duty or retired member who has earned the right to travel Space-A was denied boarding on ANY flight the Speaker was on because the Speaker had her family with her. Unless they have served in the military, they do not rate a seat on this airplane. The Speaker, yes, her staff, OK, for one or two, but her family — NO! She and her staff are serving now, but her family is NOT.
If she were serious about requiring a flight from DC to home and back whenever she wanted, she would be willing to sit in a sling seat in the back of a C-130 as it takes 8+ hours for a one-way trip. With no comfort suite (capsule set inside the cargo hold complete with toilet) she would have to use the same facility the troops have to use (and you can use your imagination here). She should be happy there would be no refueling stops and I can guarantee there would be no wine, just a LOT of whining from her highness.
Same thing goes for Congressional ‘fact-finding’ trips — let them go, but make the CongressCritters travel in the same style as our troops, sleeping on bags set in the cargo-hold, freezing their tails off, getting pounded by turbulence and going half-deaf from the engine noise. That way there would be a LOT fewer junkets and perhaps a greater appreciation for the sacfiices and service of our armed forces.
No, we always referred to C-5s as Fat Albert. The Navy probably stole the moniker for their Herc.
Let’s see, I flew space-a only a couple of times. There were easier and more convenient ways to get around back then but none cheaper! Of course, that is until you get booted off a space-a seat on the wrong side of the pond. Then it gets a bit pricey!
Somebody needs to ground this witch but I doubt anybody has the cojones to do so. I just hope the next Speaker has the good sense to put a stop to this…
By all means determine this and nail her for everything it’s worth based on your findings.
But such a “scandal” will be muted compared to the accusation that Pelosi is pressuring DoD to schedule dedicated C-5 flights from San Fran to Wash DC for her son.
Now keep in mind that it will be more difficult to nail her for such “scandal” if she’s recently been falsely accused of worse transgressions. This is why I’d like this story to be accurate.
I don’t have a problem with this. In fact, I’d also like flag officers to travel this way as well. But if flag officers are receiving more comfortable travel – and they often will, then you know members of congress will as well.
Marines (the Blue Angels C-130 is a Marine Corps aircraft), and I doubt they stole it.
I think this story could pressure her to cease much of her flagrant activities – if it’s accurately presented.
To: ThackerAgency
I don’t think the Tea Party sponsors specific candidates.
But Dana Walsh is running against Nancy Pelosi and Dana is active in the Tea Party movement.
Here is a video of Dana Walsh speaking at a Tea Party in San Francisco.
You can find out more information about Dana Walsh’s campaign at:
http://www.DanaWalshForCongress.com
Dana Walsh is holding a “Retire Pelosi Week” on her web site now. That is a goal that I can certainly support!
Yes, we all know how sensitive leftist loons are to bad publicity. I am sure she will stop this self-serving abuse of the federal treasury right any time now. I’m waiting for the press release from her office…
Common wren, a conservative winning in SF would be like Teddy’s seat going to…
Never mind.
I stated that I thought it could pressure her to cease MUCH of these activies – not stop all of it.
Are you able to debate without exaggerating your opponent’s position?
Btw, elected officials will often reduce sensitive activities without issuing a press release first or ever.
I had a Swanson TV dinner inflight on a C-5A Galaxy between the Philippines and Diego Garcia.
No windows, bring a book…
BUt, seats, IIRC, slightly bigger and more comfortable that airline coach seats.
I got drunk in Diego Garcia.
The medevac/air ambulance flights were always on very comfortable aircraft. Much better than C-141 or C-5. It was just like being on a civilian airliner!
And the run from Rhein Main to Rota was pretty empty if you picked the right day…
Public transportation should be:
1) a coach ticket on commercial, or
2) a government shuttle that stops along the way for members to be picked up and dropped off. Like the vans at the airport that don’t leave until they have a full load.
Exactly, Swede!
Never, ever underestimate the power of the Blogosphere!
Dare to dream of Dana Walsh replacing Nancy Pelosi! Then let’s get to work, to make the dream come true!
http://www.DanaWalshForCongress.com
Surely this must be illegal????
My worst space a experience was coming home from Korea space A on emergency leave and then trying to get back. Never uderstood the policy how going out on emergency leave you were top priority, but coming back you were reg leave status. Needless to say I coughed up the the money to fly back to Korea. In hindsight it would have been cheaper to have just bought the round trip (lesson learned and communicated well to the soldiers under me).
That’s definitely the biggest problem with Space A. It can tempt folks into gambling on it and losing big time.
Truesoldier,
If it made sense it wouldn’t be allowed in the US Army! That is why privates eat in the “General Mess” and generals eat in the “Private Mess.”
Ouch! A one-way ticket to “The Land of the Morning Calm” can’t be cheap! But it is better than being AWOL…
Of course, I have been on chartered military flights that were a disaster so it seems like “SNAFU” is alive and well in MAC!
I had lots of friends who spent their entire leave in the airport trying to get a Space A flight. The trains were always more reliable but “crossing the pond” was a bit of an obstacle!
I was on watch belowdecks. I didn’t see anything. Check the log.
This may be simplistic, but isn’t theft illegal? It’s clear that Pelosi is stealing money from the citizens of this country. She should be in jail. Why isn’t she????
Just got back from the doctor. I had a small Pelosi removed from my left testicle. Feeling better now. So, what have I missed?
So what…that makes everything OK then? Does that matter? Sorry, but I understand the rules regarding the SOH post 9-11 and getting an Air Force jet…but it should be her and ONLY her…possibly her husband and THAT’S IT!!!! and then ONLY on officially sanctioned Congressional business…not personal and not for campaigning. Especially as it would be my taxes paying to fund someone I do not like nor want in Congress to fly around and campaign for yet another re-election.
Anything else should warrant sanctions, fines and even impeachment.
Hey, the Air Force likes Nancy!
Look at how much air they’ve forced into those jowls
As a fan of nose art, that photo is just wrong!!
I’d make that plane a “hanger queen” faster than I’d could spit on that plane’s nose.
As for the issue at hand, anyone check the budget yet? If Obama is making cuts to NASA, then maybe he made cuts to the Speakers’ “travel agency” too.
Pelosi is the “Divaesque” Mariah Carey of Congress, with her massive costs of Demands just to have her stretched hide sit on an Air Plane seat.
(Not to mention we are taxing her grand kids and other NON government people/friends and family around on our paychecks).
Errah, Gas up Air Whorse One, were off to looney land!
Errah pulling 4Gs with that face and tying a knot with the loose skin is the only way Madame Speaker can retain that youthful glow!!!!
Have you used a prowler to pull 4Gs?