Ethics watchdogs question necessity of the US secretary of state flying between DC and Gainesville so often

Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state, has emerged as a superfan of the University of Florida’s football team, spending more than $1.2m of taxpayers’ money on frequent personal trips to watch them play, a report published on Wednesday claims.

Ethics watchdogs have questioned the necessity of the country’s top diplomat shuttling so often between Washington DC and Gainesville, where his son Anthony has a walk-on role as a running back for the team known as the Gators.

An investigation by the Washington Post found that Rubio has attended at least 10 games in the last two seasons, including five this fall, and that of 23 total trips made to Gainesville on military aircraft, 15 were “personal” in nature.

    • radiofreebc@lemmy.world
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      2 hours ago

      Of course not. They’re Republicans dressed in Democratic clothing.

      Haven’t Americans figured that out yet?

      • Amuro_eat@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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        3 hours ago

        Indeed, I’m referring more to the upcoming majority leaders vote and how those two refuse to relinquish their power even though they have no plans on helping the working class.

      • takeda@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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        2 hours ago

        To be fair when he was nominated he looked like one of very few people that were somewhat qualified. Turns out that requirements of this position changed to be the White House jester.

        • UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world
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          31 minutes ago

          To be fair when he was nominated he looked like one of very few people that were somewhat qualified.

          Foam Party Marco? The guy who got his start selling cocaine for his cousin?

          Rubio’s sum total of political qualifications was being in tight enough with the Miami Mafia guys to get easy credit while looking fuckable enough to satisfy the twink hunters in DC.

          Everything he’s achieved since has been an extension of one or the other. Drug cartels and trafficking gangs are his two biggest constituencies.

  • takeda@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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    2 hours ago

    Not every father would spent this much to make his son happy. /s

    But seriously, why is he even holding this position? It is not like he is doing anything important.

  • Zensate@lemmy.world
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    2 hours ago

    Might be the first misappropriation of taxpayer funds I can kind of get behind

  • Brkdncr@lemmy.world
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    1 hour ago

    If he’s catching a jumpseat on an existing flight I don’t really care.

    I really-read the article. He’s prohibited from flying commercially. This sounds like an excessive use of money but it’s not something we should worry about. There’s a lot more corruption going on elsewhere.

    Rubio is prohibited from flying commercially, because of security protocols that also cover the secretary of defense and FBI and CIA directors

    • Matt@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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      3 hours ago

      That was only 8 of the 23 military flights. 15 were classified for personal use, meaning $80k per flight.

    • themeatbridge@lemmy.world
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      2 hours ago

      I think you know he isn’t.

      Most recently, on 7 November, Rubio arrived in Gainesville on board an Air Force C-37, a plane used frequently for the VIP transport of high-ranking government officials, and was seen on the sidelines as the Gators lost 23-7 to Oklahoma. Anthony Rubio played no part in the game.