Mike Pence’s Vail Ski Trip During Pandemic Costs Taxpayers $1 Million

Former Vice President Mike Pence went on a ski vacation in Vail, Colorado last December, when coronavirus cases reached record levels in the United States, costing taxpayers nearly $1 million. Secret Service protection alone costed $757,527, according to the Citizens for Responsibility & Ethics in Washington.

At the time of his holiday getaway, Pence was the head of the White House coronavirus task force, and, thus, was in charge of warning Americans to stay home over the holidays, per CDC recommendations. However, Pence did not take his own advice and potentially endangered the health and safety of dozens of Secret Service agents on the trip.

The trip, which lasted from December 23 to January 1, enlisted the help of 48 Secret Service agents. The total cost of housing the agents at the Marriott Vail Mountain and the Ritz Carlton was around $350,000.

Similar to Pence, Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump also traveled during the pandemic, heading to Trump’s Bedminster club during April 2020, when the country was under stay-at-home orders.

Secret Service staff reportedly suggested an investigation into the spread of coronavirus in Donald’s Trump administration, an idea that was rejected by Trump-appointed officials.

Article by Elizabeth Letsou