Cabinet secretary used CDC jet for routine travel

[im10ashus]

ATLANTA, Georgia (AP) -- A jet leased by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for use in emergencies has instead been used to shuttle the secretary of Health and Human Services to appearances and meetings, a newspaper reported Wednesday.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution said HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt's use of the plane has cost more than $700,000 since January.

The newspaper analyzed the Gulfstream III's flight log and found that the 14-seat aircraft has been used primarily by Leavitt to attend news conferences promoting the new Medicare prescription drug plan and meetings with state officials over their flu pandemic plans.

Since January, Leavitt has taken the jet on 19 trips to visit more than 90 cities, his spokeswoman told the newspaper. During the same period, CDC officials said they had used the aircraft to respond to three emergencies and conduct three training exercises.

http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/06/14/cdc.jet.ap/index.html

[sinkingfeeling]

1. Culture of corruption: The new GOP

[im10ashus]

2. Indeed.

All for a damn photo-op. There is no low to which they won't sink.