Obama Travel Cost Taxpayers $79.5 Million

While we’re on the subject of a government run amok, take a look at the latest information we’ve received about the costs of President Obama’s personal travel.

We obtained records from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security revealing the Obama family’s August 2015 vacation on Martha’s Vineyard cost taxpayers $465,420.49 in Secret Service expenses alone. This included $457,310.33 in hotels, $271.56 in car rentals, and $7,838.60 in air/rail travel.

The government doesn’t share this willingly. The records were obtained through our Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit. Judicial Watch sued the Department of Homeland Security, of which the Secret Service is a part, because it failed to respond to 19 FOIA requests from Judicial Watch since July 21, 2014.

The new records reveal that Secret Service expenses for presidential travel included:

Trip to Seattle and Los Angeles, July 2014: $237,731.05 on hotels, $19,888.70 on rental cars and $1,451.40 on air/rail travel – for a total of $259,071.15. This trip was solely for fund-raising, specifically to boost the treasuries of two “super pacs” for congressional candidates in the mid-term election.

Trip to Westchester, N.Y., and Providence, R.I., Aug. 29-Sept. 1, 2014: $63,177 on hotels and $1,801.45 on rental cars — for a total of $64,978.45. This trip was for fundraising and attending the wedding of an MSNBC host.

Trip to Martha’s Vineyard, August 2015: $457,310.33 on hotels, $271.56 in car rentals, and $7,838.60 on air/rail travel — bringing the grand total to $465,420.49. This was the sixth year for the Obama family summer getaway to Martha’s Vineyard.

Trip to Palm Springs, February 2015: $149,101.36 on hotels and $9,199.38 on car rentals  — for a total of $158,300.74. This trip was reportedly to meet with leaders from 10 Southeast Asian nations to discuss North Korea, China and trade. But, the president also played golf, held several Democratic fundraisers, and filmed an episode of “The Ellen DeGeneres Show.” Judicial Watch previously reported that Air Force travel expenses for the President totaled $1,031,685 — bringing the grand total to $1,189,985.70.

Tom Fitton is the president of Judicial Watch. He is a nationally recognized expert on government corruption. A former talk radio and television host and analyst, Tom is well known across the country as a national spokesperson for the conservative cause. He has been quoted in Time, Vanity Fair, The Washington Post, The New York Times, and most every other major newspaper in the country. For more of his reports, Go Here Now.