Education Secretary Betsy DeVos has employed a security detail through the U.S. Marshal Service, which could cost taxpayers up to $6.54 million over the next year, Politico reported Monday evening.
Education Department spokeswoman Liz Hill told Politico that $6.54 is the “high water mark” for the cost of DeVos’ security detail and that the department doesn’t plan to spend more than that on security.
DeVos’ use of the U.S. Marshals Service is unusual. Past education secretaries have used security staff within the department for protection. As of April, the Education Department still employed those security officials but had not assigned them new roles, the Washington Post reported in April.
From February through the end of September, the Education Department spent $5.28 million for Marshal Service protection for DeVos, according to Politico. Hill told Politico that DeVos spent less than the projected $8 million for her security this year in part because she pays for the marshals to fly on her private jet.
EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt also has an unprecedented 24/7 security detail. Pruitt has an 18-member security detail, which has forced the department to pull agents from the criminal investigations unit to help protect Pruitt.
The report on DeVos’ spending on security comes as several cabinet members are under investigation for their use of private and government planes for official travel.
