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Judicial Watch Obtains Documents From U.S. Secret Service Regarding Security Costs for Obama's "Date Night" in New York City With First Lady Michelle Obama
Taxpayers Stuck With $11,648.17 Secret Service Bill for Dinner and a Broadway Show on May 30, 2009
| Source: Judicial Watch
WASHINGTON, DC--(Marketwire - September 11, 2009) - Judicial Watch, the public interest group
that investigates and prosecutes government corruption, announced today
that it obtained documents this week through the Freedom of Information Act
from the United States Secret Service documenting $11,648.17 in security
costs related to President Obama's "date night" with First Lady Michelle
Obama on May 30, 2009 in New York City.
On May 30, President Obama took the First Lady to New York City for what he
described as a "date night." In a statement to the press, the President
said: "I am taking my wife to New York City because I promised her during
the campaign that I would take her to a Broadway show after it was all
finished." The Obamas dined for two hours at Blue Hill, a West Village
restaurant before heading to the Belasco Theater for "Joe Turner's Come and
Gone." The Obama White House had refused to detail costs for the trip.
Judicial Watch's FOIA requests seek "Any and all records concerning the
cost of President and First Lady Obama's trip to New York on May 30, 2009.
Records should include, but are not limited to, bills, approval(s)
documents, correspondence, and other cost records for motorcades, aircraft
(including aircraft for aides, press and security detail -- and helicopters
from JFK to Manhattan), as well as costs associated with closing any
streets/sidewalks/businesses, etc., to the public." The request was filed
with the U.S. Secret Service, the Department of Defense and the United
States Air Force on June 2, 2009. The Secret Service produced documents
to Judicial Watch on September 9, 2009.
Judicial Watch still awaits responses from the Department of Defense and
the U.S. Air Force. Press reports suggest the President and his entourage,
which included White House staff and the press corps, used three military
aircraft.
"Our government has saddled us with crushing debt in the worst economy
since the Great Depression and yet President Obama stuck the American
people with a massive bill for a 'date night' with the First Lady. We do
not yet have a full accounting of the total costs of the Obamas' 'night on
the town,' but this nearly $12,000 waste of taxpayer funds will concern
many taxpayer," stated Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton. "No wonder the
Obama White House tried to keep secret the costs of this excursion. On his
next "date night," President Obama might want to be more sensitive to the
costs of his partying to taxpayers."
Visit www.judicialwatch.org to read the Secret Service documents related to
the Fist Couple's "date night" in New York.