Spring Break is a common ritual for students across the country, and First Daughter Malia Obama is no exception. But, of course, there is an important difference between the First Daughter and other students. When Malia Obama takes a trip, the American taxpayers get stuck with a hefty bill. How hefty? That’s what we’ve been trying to find out.
As you know, JW has kept close watch on the First Family’s extravagant personal trips for the American people, since we’re the ones footing the bill. And last week we released records detailing the government funds expended on Malia’s March 2012 Spring Break vacation to Mexico. According to the records, obtained from the U.S. Secret Service as a result of a Judicial Watch Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit filed on September 20, 2012, the total cost of the trip amounted to $115,500.87.
The following is a breakdown of the costs as detailed in the documents, which are available in full here:
Ground transportation: $23,964.81
Lodging: $21,682.92
Airfare: $47,767.34
“Vouchers”: $21,636.14 (not itemized)
Support Charges: $449.66 (travel for one from Mexico City to Oaxaca, not itemized)
Malia Obama’s Spring Break trip evoked a significant amount of controversy after the Obama White House reportedly ordered the removal of press reports detailing the trip.
On March 19, 2012, numerous online press outlets reported on Malia Obama’s Mexico trip, noting the fact that she was accompanied by 25 U.S. Secret Service Agents and as many as 12 of her friends. However, shortly after the press reports surfaced, they were quickly removed from the Internet.
As reported by Politico:
The AFP, the Huffington Post and other websites have scrubbed a report about first daughter Malia Obama’s school trip. On Monday, the AFP reported that Obama’s daughter was on a school trip along with a number of friends and 25 Secret Service agents. The story was picked up by Yahoo, the Huffington Post, and the International Business Times, as well as UK publications like the Daily Mail and the Telegraph and other overseas publications like The Australian. But on Monday night, the story had been removed from those sites.
In an update to this story, Politico published a statement issued by Kristina Schake, Communications Director to the First Lady, indicating that the removal of these news stories was “a White House effort:”
“From the beginning of the administration, the White House has asked news outlets not to report on or photograph the Obama children when they are not with their parents and there is no vital news interest. We have reminded outlets of this request in order to protect the privacy and security of these girls.”
The trip reportedly took place shortly after the Texas Department of Public Safety issued a statement advising students on Spring Break “to avoid Mexico.”
I think we can all agree that in these economic times, with huge public debt and high unemployment, spending $115,000 in taxpayer funds on a Spring Break trip to Mexico is inappropriate. Is this what Americans are being asked to pay higher taxes for?
This is far from the first time the Obamas have taken advantage of the American taxpayer to enjoy expensive vacations.
We previously obtained records from the United States Air Force and the United States Secret Service detailing Michelle Obama’s February 2012 President’s Day weekend ski vacation to Aspen, Colorado, with her two daughters. The records indicate U.S. Secret Service costs, including accommodations at the Fasching Haus deluxe condominium and the Inn at Aspen, were $48,950.38.
Judicial Watch also obtained documents from the United States Air Force and the United States Secret Service detailing costs associated with Michelle Obama’s controversial August 2010 vacation to Spain. According to a Judicial Watch analysis, the records indicate a total combined cost of at least $467,585.
Judicial Watch also obtained documents detailing costs of a June 21-27, 2011, trip taken by Michelle Obama, her family and her staff to South Africa and Botswana. Judicial Watch received mission expense records and passenger manifests for the Africa trip that described costs of $424,142 for the flight and crew alone. Other expenses, such as off-flight food, transportation, security, etc. were not included.
That’s a total of four trips at a cost of almost $1 million. And these are the trips we know about.
Rest assured, JW will continue to monitor these First Family excursions in a second Obama term. I suspect they will continue.
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