It seems Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price’s high-flying, jet-setting days are coming a close after Politico reported he'd taken at least 26 flights costing taxpayers more than $400,000. At least two of the flights to “important” meetings were to destinations where the Price family owns property and vacation. What a coincidence! Price said he doesn’t think he’ll be chartering anymore taxpayer-funded private jets while his previous travel records are under review:
“We’ve heard this criticism, and we’re very, very serious about addressing it,” Mr. Price told Fox News.
He added later: “I don’t think there would be any charter trips until this review is complete. I think that’s appropriate because of the concerns that we’ve heard.”
Incredibly, one of those flights was to a medical conference where he railed against wasteful government spending, all while he racked up $50,420 in fees for his private jets—every penny of it billed to American taxpayers. His boss isn’t happy with the headlines, when asked if he would fire Tom Price, Trump said: “we'll see.”
"I was looking into it and I will look into it. I will tell you personally, I'm not happy about it," Trump told reporters at the White House. "I am not happy about it I'm going to look at it. I let him know it."
But members of Congress don’t want to wait for Trump’s decision. They are calling on Tom Price to resign, effective immediately.
Five House Democrats joined together to demand Price’s resignation, hours after President Trump said he’s “not happy” with his health secretary’s pattern of costing taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars to ride on private planes.
“At a minimum, the American people expect cabinet secretaries to lead with integrity, accept accountability, and use public resources responsibly. In light of your breach of the public trust, we write to urge you to do the right thing and immediately tender your resignation,” Democratic Reps. Ruben Gallego (Ariz.), Ted Lieu (Calif.), Brenda Lawrence (Mich.), Jamie Raskin (Md.) and Pramila Jayapal (Wash.) wrote in a letter to Price.
Unfortunately, these Democrats are calling on Price to do the right thing. But this is the same man whose primary goal in life is to repeal the Affordable Care Act and end Medicare as we know it, taking away health insurance from tens of millions and putting 100 million more people at risk of losing insurance because of premium hikes related to pre-existing conditions. Don’t hold your breath for him to show an ounce of integrity and walk away now.