Posted on 02/01/2007 4:52:01 AM PST by radar101
The office of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is pressing the Bush administration for routine access to military aircraft for domestic flights, such as trips back to her San Francisco district, according to sources familiar with the discussions. The sources, who include those in Congress and in the administration, said the Democrat is seeking regular military flights not only for herself and her staff, but also for relatives and for other members of the California delegation. A knowledgeable source called the request "carte blanche for an aircraft any time." "They are pressing the point of her succession and that the [Department of Defense] needs to play ball with the speaker's needs," one source said. The request originally went to the Pentagon, which then asked the White House to weigh in. Mrs. Pelosi's request is not new for a speaker, who is second-in-line in presidential succession. A defense source said the speaker's regular access to a military plane began after the September 11, 2001, attacks. Rep. J. Dennis Hastert, Illinois Republican, who was speaker at the time, started using U.S. Air Force planes for domestic travel to and from his district for security reasons. A former Hastert aide said the congressman did not use military planes for political trips or regularly transport his family. The defense source said Mr. Hastert requested a plane with good communications so he could conduct legislative business. The military flights increased to the point the speaker used a military plane for many, if not all, flights to his Illinois district, the former aide said. Sources said Mrs. Pelosi's request goes beyond what Mr. Hastert received. The speaker's legal counsel is spearheading the talks.
(Excerpt) Read more at washtimes.com ...
IOW, can the rail operators tolerate her presence? I know I couldn't.
I think IRS regs says 3X the price of first class for "private" air transport.
Fuhrer Pelosi only wants what she believes she is entitled to...
Just imagine the looks on her Uber-Rich San Fran friends faces when the military salutes her as she departs!
Carbon footprints are for little people, and Pelosi could care less, as long as someone other than her gets to pay for it...
I think these VIP flights are in Citations...not in "military transport" cargo planes.
You must remember that in an Uber-rich liberals mind, the military is to service THEM, at no cost to themselves...
Annointed Elitist Leftists know so much more than we do, and are entitled to perks such as this to get them to the Dacha after a long week in the Politburo!!
What? She's afraid to fly commercial flights? Now why would that be? There's no WOT. The war in Iraq is a mistake. Islamofacism is a myth spread by Neo-cons. Bring the Troops Home Now!
She afraid a commercial flight might be flown into a tall building or something? *SMIRK*
I need to add to my previous post that the Citation jets are USMC & Army. Air Force flies the Gulfstream for VIPS. Accding to dh, all congresspersons must submit a request for transportation. It is not guaranteed that a request will be filled due to limits of a/c and pilot availability. Even the Commandant submits his request.
I wonder how many troopers heading home are going to be bumped so her friends can get a free ride?
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