Bush’s Energy Sec Spent $30K On Gov’t Flights To Political Events

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Samuel Bodman, Energy Secretary under former President George W. Bush, appears to have spent over $30,000 in federal funds on government plane rides to political events for Republican members of Congress in the lead up to the 2006 elections.

Bodman is under investigation by the Office of Special Counsel for using Defense Department and Federal Aviation Administration, according to a note in the recent OSC report on violations of the Hatch Act during the Bush administration.

So just who reaped the benefits of Bodman’s six trips in 2006? Republican Rep. Tim Murphy (PA) and former Rep. Melissa Hart (PA) on Jan. 6; Rep. Charles Bass (NH) on Feb. 23; Rep. Rob Simmons (CT) on June 2; Rep. Steve Chabot (OH) on Oct. 10; former Rep. Chris Chocola (IN) on Oct. 11; and Rep. Geoff Davis (KY) on Oct. 27.

Collectively, the OSC said the airfare for those six trips was approximately $30,795. They said they had “insufficient information to reach a conclusion as to whether one or more of these events should have been classified as political and reimbursement should have been sought.”

“Due to the seriousness of using government aircraft to attend political events, however, OSC has opened a separate investigation into these events,” the report says.

We couldn’t reach Bodman, who according to this Forbes profile is a director at the Hess Corporation, AES Corporation, du Pont and Weatherford International Ltd., but we’ll update if we hear from him.

Here’s the full note on Bodman is included in the OSC report, which you can read in full here.

Finally, the evidence shows that in addition to the customary costs of travel such as lodging, meals, and transportation expenses, at least one Cabinet member used government- owned aircraft, rather than commercial or private airlines, to travel to several events recommended by OPA and hosted by targeted candidates. Specifically, several DOE documents entitled “Request for Official Travel on Government Aircraft” indicate that in 2006, Secretary Samuel Bodman used Department of Defense and Federal Aviation Administration aircraft to travel to six events with Republican incumbents appearing as priorities on OPA’s target list.

The six events were: (1) a January 6, 2006, Energy Summit with Pennsylvania Representatives Tim Murphy and Melissa Hart, who were “Tier 3” priorities on the target list;164 (2) a February 23, 2006, visit to GT Solar Technologies with New Hampshire Representative Charles Bass, a “Tier 2” incumbent;165 (3) a June 2, 2006, Fuel Cell Technology Event with Representative Simmons, a “Tier 1” incumbent;166 (4) an October 10, 2006, Energy Event with Representative Chabot, a “Tier 1” priority on the target list;167 (5) an October 11, 2006, Energy Event with Indiana Representative Chris Chocola, another “Tier 1” priority; and (6) an October 27, 2006, Energy Event included on the Final Push Matrix with Representative Davis, also a “Tier 1” priority.168 Collectively, the total airfare for these six trips cost approximately $30,795. At this time, OSC has insufficient information to reach a conclusion as to whether one or more of these events should have been classified as political and reimbursement should have been sought. Due to the seriousness of using government aircraft to attend political events, however, OSC has opened a separate investigation into these events.

Additional reporting by Melissa Jeltsen.

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