Atlanta Black Star · Gainesville, FL
Rubio Racked Up $1.2M Taxpayer Tab for Personal Trips and His Estimated Payback Is a Joke, But Leavitt’s Defense Takes the Cake
Marco Rubio has made it a point to attend his son’s college football games, even when it requires flying hundreds of miles from Washington on a government aircraft. At a recent University of Florida Gators game, the secretary of state arrived at Gainesville Regional Airport aboard a military jet, where security officers and a convoy of SUVs were waiting to transport him to campus. For most parents, following their children’s college sports careers can be an expensive commitment. For Rubio, taxpayers have been footing much of the bill. A Washington Post investigation found that Rubio has accumulated more than $1.2 million in government flight costs while traveling to Gainesville, Florida, where his son Anthony plays football for the University of Florida. Although federal rules require Rubio to reimburse the government for personal travel, the estimated reimbursement based on commercial airfare would be about $18,000.