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Judicial Watch, the public interest group that investigates and prosecutes government corruption, announced today that it has obtained documents from the Department of Defense (DOD) detailing House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's multiple requests for military air travel. The documents, obtained by Judicial Watch through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), include internal DOD email correspondence detailing attempts by DOD staff to accommodate Pelosi's numerous requests for military escorts and military aircraft as well as the speaker's last minute cancellations and changes. The following are a few highlights from the documents, which are linked in full below:

- In response to a series of requests for military aircraft, one Defense Department official wrote, "Any chance of politely querying [Pelosi's team] if they really intend to do all of these or are they just picking every weekend?...[T]here's no need to block every weekend 'just in case'..." The email also notes that Pelosi's office had, "a history of canceling many of their past requests."

- One DOD official complained about the "hidden costs" associated with the speaker's last minute changes and cancellations. "We have...folks prepping the jets and crews driving in (not a short drive for some), cooking meals and preflighting the jets etc."

- The documents include a discussion of House Ethics rules and Defense Department policies as they apply to the speaker's requests for staff, spouses and extended family to accompany her on military aircraft. In May 2008, for example, Pelosi requested that her husband join her on a Congressional Delegation (CODEL) into Iraq. The DOD explained to Pelosi that the agency has a written policy prohibiting spouses from joining CODEL's into combat zones.

- Documents obtained from the U.S. Army include correspondence from Speaker Pelosi's office requesting an Army escort and three military planes to transport Pelosi and other members of Congress to Cleveland, Ohio, for the funeral services of the late Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones. Pelosi noted in her letter of August 22, 2008, that such a request, labeled "Operation Tribute" was an "exception to standard policy."

- The documents also detail correspondence from intermediaries for Speaker Pelosi issuing demands for certain aircraft and expressing outrage when requested military planes were not available. "It is my understanding there are no G5s available for the House during the Memorial Day recess. This is totally unacceptable...The speaker will want to know where the planes are..." wrote Kay King, Director of the House Office of Interparliamentary Affairs. In a separate email, when told a certain type of aircraft would not be available, King writes, "This is not good news, and we will have some very disappointed folks, as well as a very upset [s]peaker."

- During another email exchange DOD staff advised Kay King that one Pelosi military aircraft request could not be met because of "crew rest requirements" and offered to help secure commercial travel. Kay King responded: "We appreciate the efforts to help the codel [sic] fly commercially but you know the problem that creates with spouses. If we can find another way to assist with military assets, we would like to do that."

- Speaker Pelosi came under fire in 2007 for requesting a 42-seat Air Force carrier to ferry the Speaker and her staff back and forth between San Francisco, CA and Washington, DC. Former House Speaker Dennis Hastert was allowed access to a 12-seat commuter jet for security reasons after the events of 9/11.

"Taken together, these documents show that Speaker Pelosi treats the Air Force like her personal airline," said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton. "Not only does Speaker Pelosi issue unreasonable requests for military travel, but her office seems unconcerned about wasting taxpayer money with last minute cancellations and other demands."

dbackjon wrote:T-man - please check out your bull shit before posting...

All a pack of lies.

There is plenty of items to bash Pelosi on - you are posting lies and fabrications on this.


EPIC FAIL

travelinman67 wrote:Judicial Watch Uncovers Documents Detailing Pelosi's Repeated Requests for Military Travel
House Speaker Issued Unprecedented Demands for Military Aircraft and Wasted Taxpayer Resources with Last Minute Cancellations

Washington, DC -- March 10, 2009

http://www.judicialwatch.org/news/2009/ ... ary-travel

Judicial Watch, the public interest group that investigates and prosecutes government corruption, announced today that it has obtained documents from the Department of Defense (DOD) detailing House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's multiple requests for military air travel. The documents, obtained by Judicial Watch through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), include internal DOD email correspondence detailing attempts by DOD staff to accommodate Pelosi's numerous requests for military escorts and military aircraft as well as the speaker's last minute cancellations and changes. The following are a few highlights from the documents, which are linked in full below:

- In response to a series of requests for military aircraft, one Defense Department official wrote, "Any chance of politely querying [Pelosi's team] if they really intend to do all of these or are they just picking every weekend?...[T]here's no need to block every weekend 'just in case'..." The email also notes that Pelosi's office had, "a history of canceling many of their past requests."

- One DOD official complained about the "hidden costs" associated with the speaker's last minute changes and cancellations. "We have...folks prepping the jets and crews driving in (not a short drive for some), cooking meals and preflighting the jets etc."

- The documents include a discussion of House Ethics rules and Defense Department policies as they apply to the speaker's requests for staff, spouses and extended family to accompany her on military aircraft. In May 2008, for example, Pelosi requested that her husband join her on a Congressional Delegation (CODEL) into Iraq. The DOD explained to Pelosi that the agency has a written policy prohibiting spouses from joining CODEL's into combat zones.

- Documents obtained from the U.S. Army include correspondence from Speaker Pelosi's office requesting an Army escort and three military planes to transport Pelosi and other members of Congress to Cleveland, Ohio, for the funeral services of the late Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones. Pelosi noted in her letter of August 22, 2008, that such a request, labeled "Operation Tribute" was an "exception to standard policy."

- The documents also detail correspondence from intermediaries for Speaker Pelosi issuing demands for certain aircraft and expressing outrage when requested military planes were not available. "It is my understanding there are no G5s available for the House during the Memorial Day recess. This is totally unacceptable...The speaker will want to know where the planes are..." wrote Kay King, Director of the House Office of Interparliamentary Affairs. In a separate email, when told a certain type of aircraft would not be available, King writes, "This is not good news, and we will have some very disappointed folks, as well as a very upset [s]peaker."

- During another email exchange DOD staff advised Kay King that one Pelosi military aircraft request could not be met because of "crew rest requirements" and offered to help secure commercial travel. Kay King responded: "We appreciate the efforts to help the codel [sic] fly commercially but you know the problem that creates with spouses. If we can find another way to assist with military assets, we would like to do that."

- Speaker Pelosi came under fire in 2007 for requesting a 42-seat Air Force carrier to ferry the Speaker and her staff back and forth between San Francisco, CA and Washington, DC. Former House Speaker Dennis Hastert was allowed access to a 12-seat commuter jet for security reasons after the events of 9/11.

"Taken together, these documents show that Speaker Pelosi treats the Air Force like her personal airline," said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton. "Not only does Speaker Pelosi issue unreasonable requests for military travel, but her office seems unconcerned about wasting taxpayer money with last minute cancellations and other demands."

And this in on top of her call for consideration of

A SECOND "STIMULUS BILL" !!!!!!!

Pelosi needs to be removed immediately.

dbackjon wrote:Will have to source this...

TwinTownBisonFan wrote:

dbackjon wrote:T-man - please check out your bull shit before posting...

All a pack of lies.

There is plenty of items to bash Pelosi on - you are posting lies and fabrications on this.


EPIC FAIL

dbackjon wrote:Sweep it under the rug. Maybe nobody will notice.

Wedgebuster wrote:It all sucks, let's agree. I will recall a visit to Billings, Mt. by V.P. Dick Cheney back in the late summer of 2006 that was entirely for the purpose of giving support, and raining influence upon ( ) Montana U.S. Senator Conrad Burns who was facing an apparently stiff challenge by Montana State Senator Jon Tester (D).

The entire length of the city from the airport to the Metra pavillion was shut down for hours, transport jets brought in the military and secret service vehicles, there were helicopter gun ships riding the procession, etc, etc.

All on our dime, for the singe purpose of promoting an incumbent senator, purely for the benefit for one political party, his.

That sucks a big one in my book. But I guess it must be ok with others.

TwinTownBisonFan wrote:1. Judicial Watch is, as dbackjon said, a Richard Mellon Scaife funded right wing attack group. their accusations carry the same weight as Media Matters on the left.

2. After 9-11 the Capitol Police ordered increased security for the #3 person in line of succession. Neither Pelosi, nor Hastert before her, had any say in that.

TwinTownBisonFan wrote:1. Judicial Watch is, as dbackjon said, a Richard Mellon Scaife funded right wing attack group. their accusations carry the same weight as Media Matters on the left.

2. After 9-11 the Capitol Police ordered increased security for the #3 person in line of succession. Neither Pelosi, nor Hastert before her, had any say in that.

travelinman67 wrote:

TwinTownBisonFan wrote:1. Judicial Watch is, as dbackjon said, a Richard Mellon Scaife funded right wing attack group. their accusations carry the same weight as Media Matters on the left.

2. After 9-11 the Capitol Police ordered increased security for the #3 person in line of succession. Neither Pelosi, nor Hastert before her, had any say in that.

1) Attacking the source does not negate the validity of the factual evidence (original documents).

2) The issue is not the use of military aircraft by the Speaker of the House: It's her MISUSE of government assets for personal, not government, benefit.

dbackjon wrote:[Insert Lecture Here]

Attacking Pelosi on items like this is a no-win situation. It alienates potential allies, and distracts from what should be your post, your comment at the end...

TwinTownBisonFan wrote:

travelinman67 wrote:
1) Attacking the source does not negate the validity of the factual evidence (original documents).

2) The issue is not the use of military aircraft by the Speaker of the House: It's her MISUSE of government assets for personal, not government, benefit.

here's the problem... the principle has NO CHOICE their lives are subject to the security restrictions placed upon them by Capitol Police. Pelosi, IIRC actually asked about traveling commercial, and Cap Police said emphatically "NO". Hastert did all of this too, traveling to campaign stops, etc... as a matter of national security, the third person in line-of-succession just cannot be flying commercial.

as for the source... it's valid to criticize judicial watch's motives. given that hastert did the same thing... and they didn't get after him for it... their motives for bringing it to light are suspect, and their revelation of facts, while omitting others... is suspect.

TwinTownBisonFan wrote:again... Pelosi IS NOT ALLOWED TO TRAVEL COMMERCIALLY... AT ALL PERIOD. Just like Hastert wasn't. You couldn't either if you were the Speaker... that's how it works.

The Speaker lives in CA, and has political travel that is perfectly legitimate. I don't know if you've ever scheduled for a member of Congress or a candidate... but you don't get to set plans in stone a month out... it just doesn't work that way.

I just would like to know how it became abuse when the letter after the Speakers name changed, but the travel didn't...

travelinman67 wrote:

TwinTownBisonFan wrote:again... Pelosi IS NOT ALLOWED TO TRAVEL COMMERCIALLY... AT ALL PERIOD. Just like Hastert wasn't. You couldn't either if you were the Speaker... that's how it works.

The Speaker lives in CA, and has political travel that is perfectly legitimate. I don't know if you've ever scheduled for a member of Congress or a candidate... but you don't get to set plans in stone a month out... it just doesn't work that way.

I just would like to know how it became abuse when the letter after the Speakers name changed, but the travel didn't...

Hastert wasn't booking EVERY WEEKEND coast to coast flights, then arbitrarily cancelling at the last minute, or dragging his family along with him to CODEL (delegation) trips around the globe, INTO COMBAT ZONES!!!!!!!!!!! Hell, on most of her trips, even foreign diplomatic CODEL missions, her staff requested wide bodies (or C32) routinely, and virtually all the memos I read indicated spouses would be accompanying them. Now...I concede it does appear the military was diligent about "collecting" on reimbursments for family (civilian) accompaniement, but if you take the time to read these memos, you'll notice a pattern of Pelosi in effect booking a flight every weekend, and every break, AS A ROUTINE PRACTICE.

WHY?

Why is the Speaker of the House jetting all over the globe acting like a Secretary of State at a time when our domestic problems are the worst they've been in decades?
Why is the Speaker of the House flying home to California every weekend?
Why is the Speaker of the House flying grandkids, nephews and son in law on military charters when she travels?
Why is the Speaker of the House apparently not attempting to use "weekends" and "breaks" to accomplish work in Washington ? (and don't attempt to use the "even politicians need vacations" argument...every schmo in America ends up doing SOMETHING job related sooner or later in their off hours...and as Speaker of the House, speaking for myself of course, I expect her to be "on the job" 24 hours a day. If she doesn't like that, she can quit as there are thousands of equally competent leaders in America who understand the importance of being Speaker 24/7)
And if this "military" travel business is such a HUGE hastle, WHY hasn't the Speaker sought an exemption from military travel? (no, wait, I'll answer that one...because commercial air travel has become such a cluster fv(k, she'd go nuts trying to keep any schedules/appointments).

Inquiring minds want to know.