How do the rich stay rich? They don't use their own money, they use yours.
Just a few weeks after Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and his wife Louise Linton caused drama on Instagram over their use of a government plane, it appears as if the couple asked to use a U.S. Air Force jet to escort the ridiculouslyrich couple on their honeymoon.
SEE ALSO:Donald Trump's Treasury may not put Harriet Tubman on the $20 bill after all, because of course it won'tABC News reports that Mnuchin's office sent a written request to use the jet on the couple's summer trip to Scotland, France, and Italy, which prompted an inquiry from the Treasury Department's Office of Inspector General. That's right, a written request. According to a spokesperson from the Air Force, the plane could cost approximately $25,000 per hourto operate.
As you may know, Mnuchin is filthy rich, and we use the word filthy not because his estimated net worth is in the $500 million range, but because he is a former Goldman Sachs banker. You know, the company that was forced to pay out $5 billion for its role in the 2008 financial crisis. You know, the recession when a bunch of people lost their jobs and homes.
While this whole story is juicy enough on its own, this comes just a few short weeks after Linton posted a photo of the couple exiting a government plane for a "great #daytrip to #Kentucky!" When she was called out on Instagram by angry taxpayers for the possible misuse of government spending, Linton went off, claiming her and her husband's contributions in taxes were far greater than any normal person.
Linton even went so far as to say, "Do you think this was a personal trip? Adorable! Do you think the US govt paid for our honeymoon or personal travel? Lololol."
No, they didn't. But you sure tried.
Tweet may have been deleted
The inspector general is reviewing the August trip to determine whether or not the Kentucky flight was used to catch a glimpse of the solar eclipse. The Treasury Department has said the couple would pay for Linton's travel on the flight, and Mnuchin's office strongly denied the eclipse drama. He went to Louisville and Fort Knox on government business regarding tax reform, his office said.
The best part? This all may have gone unnoticed, but Linton's saucy comments on Instagram caused people to notice.
According to ABC, a spokesman for the Treasury Department says the request for the plane during the honeymoon trip was so that Mnuchin could maintain a secure method of communication.
“The Secretary is a member of the National Security Council and has responsibility for the Office of Terrorism and Financial Intelligence," the spokesman told ABCin a statement. "It is imperative that he have access to secure communications, and it is our practice to consider a wide range of options to ensure he has these capabilities during his travel, including the possible use of military aircraft."
The spokesperson also said the secretary's office deemed the plane "unnecessary" after discovering other forms of secure communication.
You don't say.
TopicsPolitics
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