Posted on 02/09/2007 7:50:29 AM PST by presidio9
Speaker Nancy Pelosi did not request a larger plane for personal use to travel cross-country without stopping, Bill Livingood, the House sergeant at arms, said Thursday.
Livingood said the request was his, and he made it for security reasons.
"The fact that Speaker Pelosi lives in California compelled me to request an aircraft that is capable of making non-stop flights for security purposes, unless such an aircraft is unavailable," Livingood, who has been at his post for 11 years, said in a written statement.
"I regret that an issue that is exclusively considered and decided in a security context has evolved into a political issue," the statement said.
Pelosi is striking back against accusations she asked for a plane larger and more expensive than the one used by former House Speaker Dennis Hastert, a claim published last week in The Washington Times.(Watch Pelosi call the GOP charges "a myth" )
The Times article, headlined "Pelosi's Power Trip -- Non-stop Nancy Seeks Flight of Fancy," led the Republican National Committee to send out a research briefing and blast Pelosi on the House floor.
The article said Pelosi asked the Pentagon for "routine access" to a military plane "not only for herself and her staff, but also for relatives and for other members of the California delegation," quoting sources "familiar with the discussions."
"I have never asked for a larger plane," Pelosi said. "This is a myth that they are talking about on the floor."
The White House also stood behind Pelosi.
"As speaker of the House, she is entitled to military transport and ... the proper arrangements are being made between the Sergeant of Arms Office in the House of Representatives and the U.S. Department of Defense," White House spokesman Tony Snow said.
-snip-
(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...
I think her reaction to this is more of a story than the story itself. Not that I really expected mature leadership from her.
Look Bubba, naive or not "career staffers" don't comment on a story unless their ass is in a sling.
I didn't say he was lying only that it was noteworthy he said anything at all.
Hmmm. He's Been on the job for 11 years which means he was hired by the Republicans.
Guess he wanted to suck up to the new boss to keep his job.
I got news, the Dems have no loyalty or gratitude. He's toast anyway in the coming year.
He's a 'career staffer' whose career started with his appointment by the Republicans.
This isn't a career civil service job protected by statute is it?
When your opponent is in a hole, give them a shovel. Her protests just help to propel this story for a few more days.
Probably the order passed through Bill Livingood's hands, so he's not lying. But probably it was Nancy who decided she needed a huge plane so her family, friends, and contributors could all shuttle across country free of charge, and gave the orders to him to pass on.
A free luxury plane is a good way to raise campaign contributions. Next thing she'll be demanding that, as third in line to the White House, she should have unlimited use of the Lincoln Bedroom for her friends.
Isn't it amazing that just days after this surfaced CNN is here to set the record straight.
Yet years after his assertions have been proven false CNN still calls Joe Wilson a pre war intelligence critic. And in spite of the fact that Armitage has admitted to leaking Plame to the press they still talk about Libby as the person involved in the leak. Not to mention the fact they have continously referred to her as a covert/CIA operative in spite of the fact that no evidence exist that that is true and no crime has every been charged.
These people pray on the uninformed and work overtime to keep them that way.
Nancy Pelosi is the third most powerful person on the planet because 110,000 deviants and communists in San Francisco voted for her. Go figure.
Pelosi is two spots away from the Presidency and the guy in between the two of them has a bad heart. Of course George wants her to look really awful. It's called life insurance! LOL
Since Livingood says Pelosi didn't need to defend herself, it seems especially odd that she was so busily making up all sorts of excuses.
How about Air Pelosi, a la Err America?
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