Marco Rubio’s Football Trips Have A Very Expensive Economy Fare

Marco Rubio says he'll keep attending important family events when his job allows. Fine. Parents attend games. The interesting part is the military aircraft following the family calendar at public expense.

The Guardian, reporting on a Washington Post investigation, says Rubio made 23 military-aircraft trips to Gainesville, fifteen classified as personal, and attended at least ten football games over two seasons. The Post estimated more than $1.2 million in flight costs using published military operating rates.

That isn't a finding that Rubio stole the money. Security rules prohibit him from simply booking a commercial flight. His department says the aircraft preserve secure communications and continuity of government.

The plane is required. Every opportunity to use it is not thereby a national emergency.

Personal travel requires reimbursement equivalent to an economy ticket, not the aircraft's full operating cost. Rubio and the department declined to tell the Post how much he has repaid. An official says he will reimburse all personal travel. We do not know the net taxpayer cost after those payments.

We do know that economy fare and military flight costs occupy rather different seating sections.

Rubio previously demanded scrutiny of Pete Buttigieg's government-aircraft travel. An inspector general cleared Buttigieg. The cases aren't identical: Buttigieg wasn't a required military-aircraft user, a distinction Rubio's department emphasizes.

An ethics watchdog likewise described Rubio's situation as more an optics issue than a violation. The question is frequency, disclosure and stewardship—not whether a secretary of state should compromise security to collect frequent-flyer points.

Rubio once insisted taxpayers deserved assurances that senior officials weren't wasting their money. An excellent request.

He should forward it to himself. The postage would be refreshingly manageable.