Posted on 10/20/2017 12:38:59 PM PDT by EdnaMode
A group of House Democrats on Thursday urged Vice President Pence to reimburse taxpayers the cost of his travel this month to Indianapolis for an NFL game he abruptly left after players kneeled during the national anthem.
In a letter to Pence, five House Democrats demanded the vice president pay back the expenses of attending the game, where the Indianapolis Colts faced off against the San Francisco 49ers.
A CNN report estimated that Pence’s travel to and from Indiana cost taxpayers about $242,500, which doesn’t include the cost of Secret Service or advance staff. The Democratic lawmakers asked that Pence make clear exactly how much public funds were spent on the trip.
“Flying across the country and back at taxpayer expense simply to enter and then immediately depart a football stadium serves no discernible public interest,” Democratic Reps. Ruben Gallego (Ariz.), Ted Lieu (Calif.), Pramila Jayapal (Wash.), Brendan Boyle (Pa.) and Jamie Raskin (Md.) wrote.
“Instead, the fact that your campaign immediately sought to capitalize on this exercise in order to solicit donations leaves the distinct impression that this trip was purely political in nature and was unrelated to your official duties."
Pence’s office said that he had been planning to attend the Colts game for weeks. But Pence walked out of the game after athletes knelt during the national anthem to protest police brutality and racial inequity in the U.S.
"President Trump and I will not dignify any event that disrespects our soldiers, our Flag, or our National Anthem,” he said in a statement.
President Trump tweeted that Pence left the game at his suggestion, saying that “I asked @VP Pence to leave stadium if any players kneeled, disrespecting our country.”
Trump’s Make America Great Again Committee sought to raise money off of Pence’s walkout the next day, adding fuel to criticism that the move was pre-orchestrated to stoke cultural tensions over the NFL protests.
Trump sparked debate over the act of players kneeling during the national anthem during a campaign rally in Alabama last month, at which he called on NFL leaders to fire athletes engaging in the protests.
Many players have joined in the protests since then to show solidarity with NFL free agent Colin Kaepernick, who as a member of the San Francisco 49ers drew attention for kneeling during the anthem last year to highlight the issue of police brutality toward African-Americans.
He is from Indiana and he was there for the Manning event.
Dems, you can demand all you want, but Trump is President and your gal lost. Again. How about we bill Mooch for her(?) Use of a seperate 747 at her convenience, and sending a Marine helicopter to pick up Barry’s stupid dog. Shove your demands up your Obama.
HA!
Pelosi had her own airliner as Speaker!
Never happened before.
She needs to pay that back.
How about Michelle’s excessive travel ALONE in AF-2?
Let’s take a look at the rest of Bambi’s cabinet.
How about AG Holder taking friends and family back to Chicago for a sporting event?
Congress should demand the Obama’s pay back all the money they spent using Air Force One and associated aircraft and personnel for “personal travel” over eight years. How many billions is that??
Is the democrat argument based on the Vice President can never take leave and use official transportation?
How about Moochelle paying back the millions her lavish vacations cost?
The Obolas spent in excess of $100 million on private vacations paid for by the taxpayers. And today we read that Moochie cost us $22 million a year to “keep!” Seems like the baboon cage at the Washington DC Zoo would have been adequate.
I’d even have sprung for a bunch of bananas for free.
sure... right after Mooooochelle’s mom repays us for all her trips!
Didn’t Obama order pizza flown in from Chicago for a football game party? Wonder who paid for that?
All travel (including aides’) needs to be investigated. Taxpayers should demand it.
I didn't know DC to Indiana was across the country. Huh.
Oh, maybe he thinks Indiana Hill, CA, has a pro football team.
Fine, right after the rodeo clown pay back the expense of traveling to the Gold Star wife for the sole purpose of twisting Trump’s words.
How much did it cost to fly the basketballs and dogs around?
When is “Hamilton” going to reimburse him for those tickets after they insulted him?
In response Trump should mandate by EO all Congressional travel except from their home state to DC has to be approved by the executive branch...
I know it’s unconsitutional, but the dems didn’t seem to care about the law while obama was in office...
Just screw with their heads...
I missed that one about Moochie, any link ?
A fine list of items to bill Senators for should be created and tweeted by POTUS.
Exactly!
‘Democrats demand’...
*snicker*
I demand the Obama’s pay back the billion dollars they wasted on travel taking their posse of friends and Michael’s freeloading mother.
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