President Obama’s trips this year to the golfing playgrounds of Palm Springs and Key Largo cost taxpayers nearly $3 million for flight expenses alone, according to Air Force records.
The activist group Judicial Watch said the trips in February and March cost $2,952,278 for flight expenses of Air Force One.
Mr. Obama combined his trip to Palm Springs with an event to highlight California’s severe drought. Critics noted he spent the rest of the weekend golfing on exclusive courses in the desert that use about 1 million gallons of water per day to keep them green.
During March 7-9, the First Family spent Spring Break at the exclusive Ocean Reef Club in Key Largo, Fla., where members must have a minimum net worth of $35 million to join. Other expenses of that trip have not been made public.
“It is clear that the Obamas continually abuse the perks of the president’s office at taxpayer expense,” said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton. “And it is particularly interesting that Obama has chosen to take not one but two luxury vacations back-to-back while inveighing against ’income equality.’ President Obama’s waste of the hard-earned tax dollars of working Americans on unnecessary luxury travel is an abuse of office.”
According to records obtained by Judicial Watch, through Freedom of Information Act requests and lawsuits, the Obamas and Vice President Joseph R. Biden and wife Jill have spent more than $40 million taxpayer dollars on trips since 2009.
PHOTOS: Conservatives in Hollywood: Celebrities who lean right
• Dave Boyer can be reached at dboyer@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.