Judicial Watch Uncovers New Documents Detailing Pelosi's Use of Air Force Aircraft

Records Indicate Pelosi Used Air Force Aircraft for 85  Trips Covering 206,264 Miles from March 2009 through June  2010

Pelosi's Family Members Included on at least Two  Flights

WASHINGTON, Oct. 14 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --  Judicial Watch, the public interest group that investigates and prosecutes  government corruption, announced today that it has obtained new documents from  the United States Air Force detailing House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's repeated use  of United States Air Force aircraft.   According to the documents, obtained by Judicial Watch through the  Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), Pelosi used Air Force aircraft on 85 flights  from March 2009 through June 2010.   Members of Pelosi's family were guests on at least two  flights.

Among  the highlights from the documents, obtained pursuant to a FOIA request filed on  January  25, 2009:

• Pelosi used the Air Force aircraft for a total of 85 trips, covering 206,264 miles,  from March  2, 2009 through June 7, 2010.  Pelosi, her guests and Air Force  personnel logged a total of 428.6 hours on these  flights.
• Members  of Pelosi's family were guests on at least two flights.  On June  20, 2009,  Speaker Pelosi's daughter, son-in-law and two grandsons joined a flight from  Andrews Air Force Base to San Francisco International Air Port.  That flight included $143 in on-flight  expenses for food and other items.   On July  2, 2010,  Pelosi took her grandson on a flight from Andrews Air Force Base to Travis Air  Force Base in Fairfield,  California,  which is northeast of San  Francisco.

According to previous documents uncovered by Judicial  Watch, Speaker's military travel cost the United States Air Force $2,100,744.59  over a two-year period —  $101,429.14 of which was for in-flight expenses,  including food and alcohol.  For  example, purchases for one Pelosi-led congressional delegation traveling from  Washington, DC, through Tel Aviv, Israel to Baghdad, Iraq May 15-20, 2008  included:  Johnny Walker Red scotch,  Grey Goose vodka, E&J brandy, Bailey's Irish Creme, Maker's Mark whiskey,  Courvoisier cognac, Bacardi Light rum, Jim Beam whiskey, Beefeater gin, Dewar's  scotch, Bombay Sapphire gin, Jack Daniels whiskey, Corona beer and several  bottles of wine.

Judicial  Watch also previously uncovered internal Department of Defense documents (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.  For example, 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."

"Pelosi's abusive use of military aircraft demonstrates a  shocking lack of regard for the American taxpayer and the men and women who  serve in the U.S. Air Force.   Speaker Pelosi may have a frequent flyer record for taxpayer-financed  luxury jet travel," said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton. 

Visit www.JudicialWatch.org to access records related to Judicial Watch's investigation of Speaker Pelosi's  military travel.

SOURCE Judicial Watch