BALTIMORE -- It's looking like $85 billion in mandatory federal spending cuts will go into effect Friday.
Expectations are low that lawmakers will secure a last-minute deal, and there's another bad sign. Congress is starting to make cuts.
House speaker John Boehner will no longer allow House members to use military aircrafts for official travel, which might make some people wonder how much money the government has spent on military flights for officials.
Our investigative media partner, the Washington Guardian, discovered the directors of the FBI and the Department of Justice have taken taxpayers for a high-altitude ride in the weeks, months and years leading up to forced budget cuts.
The FBI has spent millions since 2001, leasing two corporate-style Gulfstream V jets.
The planes are equipped with the most sophisticated communications equipment and considered plush by most standards.
The FBI originally leased the planes to take counterterrorism agents to global hot spots in a moments notice, but as the Washington Guardian discovered, about 60% of all flight hours used since 2007 were taken by FBI Director Robert Muller, Attorney General Eric Holder and Holder's predecessor, Michael Mukassey, for business and personal trips.
The cost off all of those trips nears $11.5 million.
For security reasons, the attorney general and FBI director are required to use government aircraft for all travel.
However, the Washington Guardian found there are cheaper travel options and you can read about that by clicking here
http://www.washingtonguardian.com/.
