Los-Angeles-Shooter Loc: Los Angeles

Judicial Watch Obtains Records Revealing Obamas’ 2013 Ireland Trip, Including First Lady’s Dublin Sightseeing Jaunt, Cost Taxpayers $7,921,638.66
Secret Service security for First Lady Dublin trip cost $251,161.86
(Washington, DC) – Judicial Watch announced today it has obtained records from the U.S. Department of the Air Force and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security revealing that President Obama’s June 2013 trip to Belfast, Ireland, including a Dublin sightseeing side trip by Michelle Obama, her daughters, and her entourage, cost the taxpayers $7,921,638.66.
According to the Department of Air Force documents, the flights to, from, and around Ireland for the June 17 – 19, 2013 trip totaled 33.6 hours at $228,288 an hour, which comes to a flight expense alone of $7,670,476.80 The records came in response to a Judicial Watch Freedom of Information lawsuit filed on January 13, 2014.
According to the DHS documents, the total cost for “security and/or other services” for the Dublin side trip by Michelle Obama and her entourage was $251,161.86, including $55,004.85 at the Shelbourne Hotel and $70,855.44 at the Westbury Hotel. Vehicle rental charges were $114,721. The records also came in response to a Judicial Watch Freedom of Information lawsuit filed on January 13, 2014.
After accompanying the president to a meeting with Northern Ireland youth on the morning of June 17, the First Lady, her daughters, and her entourage departed on their own, apparently aboard Air Force Two, for a sightseeing side trip to Dublin. Though the White House claimed the trip was for diplomatic purposes, WashingtonDossier.com reported the itinerary showed, “She and her daughters will visit the Trinity College library to explore President Obama’s Irish family roots, attend a performance by the world-famous Riverdance troupe, and visit the Wicklow Mountains national forest.”
In a June 2013, article, on the Michelle Obama side trip, the Washington Times reported, “First lady Michelle Obama is sparing no expense on her trip to Ireland, staying at a $3,300-per-night hotel suite in Dublin. Irish press reports Monday said Mrs. Obama and her entourage have booked 30 rooms in the five-star Shelbourne hotel. The first lady is said to be staying in the Princess Grace Suite …. ” According to the hotel’s website, the Grace Kelly Suite features two guest bedrooms, a living room, and a dining area, and measures 1530 square feet.
The Secret Service documents obtained by Judicial Watch reveal that members of the Obama entourage also rented rooms at Dublin’s Westbury Hotel. The hotel’s website describes the “glamorous, iconic 5 star” Westbury as, “a great social hub and Dublin’s ultimate city address.” The cost of Michelle Obama’s the two-day trip to Ireland, in addition to flight and security costs obtained by Judicial Watch, has been estimated at around $5 million.
“It is clear that the Obamas’ abused the perk of the president’s official trip to the G-8 summit for a luxury European vacation at taxpayer expense,” said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton. “And it is shameful that it took a federal lawsuit to obtain this information. Transparency goes by the wayside for the Obamas when it comes to covering up their abuse of taxpayer resources.”
In February, Judicial Watch reported that the Obamas incurred $1,164,268.60 in flight expenses alone for the August, 2013 family vacation to Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts. In March, Judicial Watch released flight expense records from the U.S. Department of the Air Force revealing that the Obamas incurred $8,104,224 in flight expenses for their June to July, 2013 official trip to Africa and $7,781,361.30 for their 2013-2014 Christmas vacation to Honolulu, for a two-trip total of $15,885,585.30 in flight expenses alone.

Bwarn Loc: Northern Kentucky

Doesn't it just make you sick. They tell the people to cut back on cable and cell phones to afford health insurance while they freely spend in extreme excess the taxpayers hard earned money.

chrisscholbe Loc: Kansas City, MO

Since ALL the other President's never went anywhere on the publics dime, I think Obama should stay at home as well.

There is NEVER any reason for the President to leave DC.

After all, he has that big White House.

Los-Angeles-Shooter Loc: Los Angeles

The Obamas take great pleasure in living like pigs on other people's money. They enjoy it even more because they can shove it in our faces while we are suffering.

chrisscholbe Loc: Kansas City, MO

ROTFLMAO - You guys should have told us this was a joke when you posted it.

A. J. Loc: PA. USA

You call the sufferings of people a JOKE?

tlbuljac Loc: Oklahoma

Why should the a$$hole give a dam about what it costs. It hasn't cost him anything out of his own pocket. He's a POS and hopefully the money came at the expense for those who support him....you get what you pay for.

Dave Johnson Loc: Grand Rapids, Michigan

These trips are about creating good will and building alliances. Every President in the last one hundred years has done the same. Most of the money spent covers security and logistics. It's not like the Obama's are out on a shopping spree.

SBW

Yeah, and he has done a fine job building those "alliances".

chiya Loc: Wellsboro, Pa.

no just doing the usual tourist things like sightseeing and attending performances, along with the entire entourage, so basically michelle and the rest of the family got a really nice vacation on our dime

chrisscholbe Loc: Kansas City, MO

Great attempt to change the subject.

I think it's funny that you guys just have to nit pick at EVERYTHING Obama does. Even when it's the same thing all Presidents have been doing for years.

chrisscholbe Loc: Kansas City, MO

Dave, I think we should just give up.....which is what these guy want us to do.

Their hate is so pervasive and insidious that there is NO way they are ever going to listen to anyone else's opinion.

They use their glib combacks and name calling to "keep people in their place". It's all they know how to do.

On second thought, let's NOT give up.

Dave Johnson Loc: Grand Rapids, Michigan

Facts People. Obama is among the least traveled presidents in the last fifty years. Less than "W." Look it up.

Los-Angeles-Shooter Loc: Los Angeles

Totally false. And you're not even including the many boondoggles by his wife and children.

venturer9 Loc: Newton, Il.

Dave,,,, TODAY Obama is the President...YOU and others, maybe even myself carped about Bush....BUT you do not want us to Carp at Obama unless we also say "Oh, but the last 100 presidents have done that also, So I guess it is ok"

It was not OK then and it sure as the devil isn't OK now...

Mike