JW Probes Michelle Obama’s Family Ski Vacation to Aspen, Colorado
On May 31, 2012 we filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit against the United States Air Force and the United States Secret Service to obtain records detailing the First Lady’s February 2012 President’s Day weekend ski vacation in Aspen with her two daughters.
Pursuant to our original February 21, 2012, FOIA request with the U.S. Air Force, we’re seeking access to any and all records concerning the mission taskings, transportation costs and passenger manifests for Mrs. Obama’s February 2012 trip to Aspen, Colorado.
The Air Mobility Command, a component of the U.S. Air Force, acknowledged receiving Judicial Watch’s request on April 11, 2012, but notified Judicial Watch that it “could not provide a specific date for the production of records responsive to [Judicial Watch’s] request.” By law, a response was due on May 9, 2012, at the latest.
With respect to our FOIA request with the U.S. Secret Service, our focus is on “all records concerning use of U.S. Government funds to provide security and/or any other services to First Lady Michelle Obama, Malia Obama, Sasha Obama, and any companions on their February 2012 trip to Aspen, Colorado.”
The U.S. Secret Service acknowledged receiving our request on March 12, 2012, but the agency has failed to comply. A response was due on April 23, 2012, at the latest.
This is far from the first time the First Family has taken a vacation at taxpayers’ expense. In fact, one report suggested that the Aspen trip was the 16th vacation in three years taken by the Obama family!
The Obama administration has been secretive regarding these trips. Judicial Watch has had to fight tooth and nail to uncover records detailing the costs. Our persistence has paid off.
In April, Judicial Watch obtained documents from the United States Air Force and the United States Secret Service detailing costs associated with Michelle Obama’s controversial August 2010 vacation to Spain. According to a Judicial Watch analysis, the records indicate a total combined cost of at least $467,585.
Judicial Watch also obtained documents detailing costs of a June 21-27, 2011, trip taken by Michelle Obama, her family and her staff to South Africa and Botswana. Judicial Watch received mission expense records and passenger manifests for the Africa trip that described costs of $424,142 for the flight and crew alone. Other expenses, such as off-flight food, transportation, security, etc. were not included.
It is outrageous that the Obama administration is repeatedly stonewalling basic questions about the costs of the Obama family’s personal travel. At the least, the Obama administration owes the American people the truth about how much each of these trips cost, instead of stonewalling and obfuscation.
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Another Link: Biden Spends $1 Million Annually for Weekend Trips