Following the fiasco regarding private jets, Health and Human Services Secretary tom price has submitted a resignation letter. In a report by BBC, former HSS secretary Tom Price has made 24 trips using private jets. This is against the policy where politicians should take commercial flights when dealing with the work-related matter. The private jets are reserved for national security matters. This could amount to approximately $400,000 which is taken from the taxpayer. According to CNN, President Donald Trump accepted the resignation. It was also stated that the President plans to designate Don J.
Wright of Virginia to be the acting secretary. Three more of the President's cabinet members are under scrutiny for using private jets on the job.
Details about the private flights
Prior to the issue, a video by CNN documented how Price was saying that the binge spending should stop for the financial prosperity of America. In April he told CNN "that he wanted to cut redundancy and waste in his agency."
"For us to say, 'OK, let's just throw more money at that system, let's see if more money helps that out,' is the wrong way," This came from a conservative but, using private jets for work is not even nearly conservative.
Republicans were losing patience with him and an interview with a Republican senator said that "President Trump is mad as hell." Aside from the chartered flights, CNN's report also said that Tom Price was buying stocks from companies and proceeding with a legislation that would directly affect the stock value of the companies.
Further investigation is likely.
In an interview with President Donald Trump where he was asked whether he would fire Tom Price, he answered. "We'll see." Although the former secretary apologized and said he would write a check to refund his flights, the damage had been done.
What are the reactions from his colleagues?
There are some people who refuse to criticize Tom Price on the grounds that they do not know the whole story.
According to CNN, Rep. Tom Rooney said that he wants to give Price the benefit of the doubt because they all know him but not the whole story. Some politicians, however, tried to steer clear of giving comments or openly criticizing Price saying that whatever the case was, it was between the secretary and the president. Senate Republican Whip John Cornyn of Texas was also interviewed by CNN and he refused to give concrete views on the matter, saying that he only knew as much as what he read in the press.
