EPA chief racks up travel costs with first-class flights: report

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) head Scott Pruitt has spent much of his first year in the role taking first-class or business-class flights, totaling thousands of dollars and often at the expense of taxpayers, The Washington Post reported Sunday.

EPA records show Pruitt typically flies first or business class for unspecified security reasons, according to the report. He has also reportedly used military jets to travel to and from events.

The newspaper found one stretch in June in which Pruitt and his top aides racked up at least $90,000 worth of taxpayer-funded travel.

Pruitt’s aides generally fly coach when traveling to and from trips to speak at conferences and political events, the newspaper reported, but Pruitt flies first or business class, a break in tradition from past administrators.

EPA spokeswoman Liz Bowman told the Post that all of Pruitt’s travel expenses have been approved by federal ethics officials.

http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/373372-epa-chief-frequently-flies-first-class-racking-up-travel-costs-report

Hey it's only your money

[Rhiannon12866]

1. Haven't we been down this road before??

[Angry Dragon]

2. he should travel as baggage

[jmowreader]

18. He should travel in a used school bus

Preferably one previously owned by hippies.

[GulfCoast66]

3. This is a distraction...

I am a mid level manager and I fly business class. My employees fly coach.

Before I received my current position I flew coach

SOP for business and I would expect government.

I am pretty sure that there are other things that we can criticize.

[kcr]

5. Good for you. We don't pay for your business travel.

Everything is a distraction on DU anymore. If everything every DUer claimed was a distraction actually was, Skinner could shut this site down because there would be nothing to discuss.

[GulfCoast66]

6. So all government employees should fly coach?

[kcr]

7. What is so hard? n/t

[GulfCoast66]

8. ???

I asked a yes or no question.

When I travel on my own dime I generally fly coach. And while i often fly ‘fancy-pants’ coach, I cannot afford business class.

But if my company wants to send me on a ‘business’ trip, then they should pay ‘business class’.

Nothing wrong with that. And president pee pee aside, the people who work at the high end of government service usually take a huge pay cut.

Were President Obama’s cabinet Secretaries flying coach?

[CreekDog]

9. Government should pay only for coach unless it is for a reasonable accomodation

if he wants to use his miles or pay out of pocket for the upgrade from coach, i urge him to do it.

if there is a security issue, then it is one that his predecessors didn't claim to have and that certainly is interesting.

[GulfCoast66]

11. Well, then we will just have disagree.

I fly 3-4 times a year, most on vacation and once a year overseas for a cool vacation so coach is no problem.

You try flying weekly away from your family crammed in a tiny seat trying to do actual work on your laptop in coach. They are on business so they should fly business class. You pissed that all of Obama’s secretaries flew business class?

Flying for vacation is fun. Flying for work is drudgery.

[CreekDog]

13. if they flew weekly, they could probably upgrade fairly regularly

As for your needs, well, if you negotiated that as part of your compensation from a private company, then that's your arrangement and I applaud that.

However, one doesn't negotiate their salary with the federal government.

It is the wrong employer for that.

[GulfCoast66]

15. As I said, we just will have to disagree

If your job makes you fly weekly on business then you should be able to fly business class.

So are you pissed that President Obama’s secretary’s flew business or even first class?

[maxrandb]

19. Usually, if someone makes an accusation

like "President Obama's secretary's flew business or even first class", we would expect a link, or some source to support such an accusation.

Where did your assertion that Obama's secretary's flew business of First Class at "government expense" come from?

I'd like to know where you came up with this "Obama did it too" story.

[CreekDog]

10. We understand that you are not strong enough of a person to handle flying coach anymore

But I don't understand why if you're weaker than lower paid employees in this respect, that you should be paid more.

But that's just me --and probably everyone else here

[GulfCoast66]

14. WTF?

When I buy the ticket it is coach. At most what I call fancy pants coach with 3 inches more leg room.

But why are Democrats ridiculing the idea that if a business is going to force someone to fly somewhere on business, then at least they should be able to fly business class.

Are you sticking up for the man?

30 years ago everyone who worked for my company flew business class when in business, even hourly employees. Now you almost have to be an executive.

But I guess you are cool with that.

[Skittles]

4. the party of "fiscal responsibility"

[BlueDog22]

12. Not Surprised

I say that a lot about the Trump administration, but birds of a feather flock together. Corrupt people usually hang out with other corrupt people.

[Retrograde]

16. Sometimes business is cheaper than coach

A few times recently I've had to fly on short notice and found that a business ticket was cheaper than a coach one, or within $50 of it. And because my dates were flexible two years ago I found a first-class fare to Europe that was cheaper than flying coach the next day. Go figure.

When I worked for a now defunct but then Fortune 100 company they insisted that their employees flew coach - but they had no problems letting us use our accumulated miles to upgrade. If someone is expected to be awake enough to do business after overseas travel springing for business class shouldn't be a big deal. Military aircraft are another issue.

[diva77]

17. The antithesis of what an EPA head should be; his travel expenses, altho. highly offensive

are the least of our worries. What a nightmare this guy is https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scott_Pruitt