In yet another example of the Biden administration’s disregard for taxpayer dollars, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has been caught up in a lawsuit filed by Americans for Public Trust (APT). The group has accused the Department of Transportation of withholding information relating to Buttigieg’s repeated use of the agency’s small fleet of private jets.
According to APT, they have made several attempts to obtain information regarding the frequency of Buttigieg’s private jet travel and the cost to taxpayers associated with those flights. However, despite repeated requests, the Department of Transportation has failed to provide the relevant information.
This is not the first time that the Transportation Secretary’s apparent wasteful spending has been called into question. Earlier this year, an internal watchdog at the agency began an investigation into Buttigieg’s excessive use of private jets at taxpayer expense. The investigation has revealed that Buttigieg has flown private dozens of times since January 2021, all at the expense of the hardworking American taxpayers.
The Biden administration has shown time and time again its reluctance to be transparent about how it spends taxpayer money. While the Transportation Department has a small fleet of private jets available, their use should be strictly limited to essential travel that cannot be conducted by commercial air travel. However, it appears that Buttigieg has taken advantage of this service and used it excessively, without regard to the cost to American taxpayers.
This lawsuit filed by APT is a necessary step in holding the Biden administration accountable for their actions. The American people deserve transparency when it comes to government spending, and this includes the use of taxpayer-funded private jets by public officials. It is unacceptable that Secretary Buttigieg has repeatedly flown private at the expense of the American people, and it is time for the Department of Transportation to disclose the true cost of his travel.
In the midst of economic hardship, when so many Americans are struggling to make ends meet, the Biden administration should be focused on reducing wasteful spending and using taxpayer funds responsibly. Allowing Secretary Buttigieg to fly private at a considerable cost to the American taxpayer without providing adequate transparency is a display of arrogance and disregard for the very people he is supposed to serve. The American people deserve better, and we will continue to hold this administration accountable for their reckless spending.
