-- A January 2, 2009 internal DOD email related to a military travel
request from Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's Office. A DOD official
responding to the request wrote: "...I was under the impression that they
really only had small a/c [aircraft]. Regardless, with Sen Reid being the
lead, they would definitely want a vip [sic] configured bird. Right now
approval is only for one a/c. It's amazing how fast these things grow."
-- A March 12, 2009 internal DOD email related to a military travel
request involving a seven-country tour from Senate Minority Leader Mitch
McConnell. The DOD official responding to the request wrote: "As I
expected, the McConnell group wants their C-40 not a C-9... This is the
only group that would not shift their dates to be in one half of the month
and thus are taking up an asset that could have been used twice but now is
being used once. That drove the aircraft decision... it was better to have
a C-9 used once than a C-40 (greater range and passenger capability)... The
group is also the only group with a large aircraft who only has four
members (McConnell, Chambliss, Barasso, Risch + spouses) all others have 5,
6, 7, or 10 members..."
-- A date-redacted internal DOD email related the McConnell request. The
DOD official responding to the request wrote: "Tell OSD (Office of the
Secretary of Defense) that Sen McConnell and Secretary Gates have already
discussed this trip at some length. What I need to have ready for the
McConnell office is 'why' the Republican leader of the Senate has been
assigned this type of aircraft. They will view this type of aircraft
assignment as not appropriate for such a high-level delegation. I
understand the requirements for safe and efficient DOD provided
transportation, but they will not. I at least want to be able to tell the
McConnell office, 'we asked.'"
-- Request on behalf of at least one congressional spouse ("for protocol
purposes"), including to war zones such as Afghanistan. The emails suggest
that this issue raised security concerns.
-- Military assets were used to transport dozens of Senators, their
spouses, and others to the funerals of retired Senators Claiborne Pell and
Jesse Helms.
In March 2009, Judicial Watch uncovered documents detailing House Speaker
Nancy Pelosi's multiple requests for military air travel. The documents
included 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.
This latest document release to Judicial Watch comes on the heels of a
report in Roll Call noting the fact that in July, "...the House approved
nearly $200 million for the Air Force to buy three elite Gulfstream jets
for ferrying top government officials and Members of Congress." The Air
Force had only requested one Gulfstream jet as part of its "ongoing upgrade
of its passenger service."
"The military has more important things to do than having to cater to the
travel whims of Congress. These new documents show that Congressional
military travel wastes taxpayer dollars," said Judicial Watch President Tom
Fitton. "Members of Congress should stop treating the United States Air
Force as their own personal airline."
Visit www.JudicialWatch.org to view the documents related to congressional
military travel.
Contact Information: Contact: Jill Farrell 202-646-5188