Democrats slam Pence for staying at Trump hotel in Ireland
Democratic lawmakers have criticized US Vice President Mike Pence for staying at a hotel owned by President Donald Trump in Ireland.
Travelling with his wife, sister and mother, Pence stayed at the Trump International Golf Club in Doonbeg on the west coast almost 300 km away from Dublin on Monday and Tuesday nights.
On Tuesday, he had to travel to the capital to meet with Irish leaders before he flew back to Doonbeg in the evening.
According to the air force, the journey on Air Force Two, which takes nearly an hour, costs around US$13,000 when Pence is on board.
Pence’s chief of staff, Marc Short, told journalists that the idea of staying at the hotel “was a suggestion.”
“It’s like when we went through the trip it’s like, `Well, he’s going to Doonbeg because that is where his family is from, it’s like `oh, you should stay at my place’,” Short said. “It wasn’t like a `you must.’ It wasn’t like a `you have to.’”
California Democratic Congressman Ted Lieu took to Twitter, accusing Pence of “funneling taxpayer money” to Trump by staying at the hotel.
Hey @VP @mike_pence: You took an oath to the Constitution, not to @realDonaldTrump. Funneling taxpayer money to @POTUS by staying at this Trump resort is sooooooo corrupt.
— Ted Lieu (@tedlieu) September 3, 2019
Also, I hope you don't encounter bedbugs. Many people say there are lots of bedbugs at Trump properties. https://t.co/KgJfnMRSgt
The Democratic National Committee also said that the move meant “your tax dollars: making the Trump family richer.”
Pence, in response, said that his decision was right, adding there is no other suitable choice of accommodation there since Doonbeg is very small.
“I understand political attacks by Democrats, but if you have the chance to get to Doonbeg you’ll find that it is a fairly small place,” he told reporters.
He also said the US State Department had approved the decision.
“I was pleased to have the opportunity to return to that family hometown and be able to stay there ... It was important to me, before our original trip plan, to at least spend one night in Doonbeg.”
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