New York Governor Kathy Hochul has spent a total of $415,000 on at least 30 private jet trips since 2021, based on documents obtained by the New York Post from the New York State Board of Elections.
A local pilot expressed strong disapproval, saying, “It’s very wasteful, especially for an elected official. There is no reason why any elected official in New York should be taking a private jet. Nearly everywhere in New York or upstate has a [commercial] airport that will take you anywhere in the country. New York is one of the most well-connected places on the planet.”
The records reveal that Hochul flew with two private air services, Zephyr Jets and Apollo Jets, over the past four years. Although the specific destinations of her flights were not listed, the cost per trip ranged from $5,000 to $38,594.
The bulk of these flights occurred in 2022, during her campaign against Republican challenger Lee Zeldin.
Hochul’s use of private jets has drawn criticism, especially in light of her vocal stance on climate change legislation. Representative Ritchie Torres, D-NY, slammed the governor for her actions, saying, “When it comes of combating climate change, the governor is conspicuously failing to practice what she preaches. New Yorkers viscerally resent hypocrisy, and the governor’s hypocrisy here is as staggering as her carbon footprint.”
In October 2022, Hochul took to X (formerly Twitter) to declare, “I’m the only candidate for Governor of New York who is committed to cracking down on polluters, cutting carbon emissions, and treating climate change like the crisis that it is. Our environmental progress is at stake in November.”
Hochul’s office defended her use of private jets, stating that the flights were “strictly allocated for legitimate campaign activities.”
{Matzav.com}