Passenger Confronts GOP Congressman Rodney Davis, IL-13 over Flying First Class During Shutdown

[beachbum bob]

our piece of crap congressman and his sense of white entitlement and privilege got busted, I applaud the passenger

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/rodney-davis-flying-first-class-ggovernment-shutdown_us_5c477fe1e4b083c46d634be8

With President Donald Trump and the GOP prolonging the partial government shutdown, a Republican lawmaker had an uncomfortable run-in Tuesday when a fellow airplane passenger found him flying first class from Chicago to Washington, D.C., according to a video of the encounter shared with HuffPost.

“Congressman, do you think it’s appropriate to fly first class while 57 TSA agents aren’t being paid?” the person says to Rep. Rodney Davis (R-Ill.), in an apparent reference to the Transportation Security Administration’s 57,000 employees, who are being required to work without pay.

A tipster who asked to remain anonymous shared the video with HuffPost, which hasn’t been able to identify the person who approached Davis.

Davis remained silent, prompting the person to say, “Taking that as a yes.”

“Taxpayers paid for this flight? Fair enough,” he added.

[Soxfan58]

1. He shouldn't fly 1st class at any time.

[ck4829]

2. K&R

[Atticus]

3. Davis is, indeed, a disgusting POS, BUT---this is not the outrage the article portrays.

Like all Congressmen flying between their homes and DC, his coach airfare was paid by taxpayers. The airline, consistent with their internal policies, upgraded him to first class because he is a "frequent flyer". There was no additional charge.

As central Illinois Democrats are well aware, their are many reasons to criticize Davis. This is not one of them.

[marble falls]

4. "Optics". That would have kept me out of 1st class and not taking a pay check untill ...

this shit is over. It just did't look right.

If my boss "gives" me meals at work in a restaurant, the IRS collects taxes on it. If he got a service past his base pay - in this case tourist - why wouldn't he owe taxes on the value of the upgrade to 1st class? No free lunches, right?

It just didn't look good.

[Atticus]

6. Don't disagree at all. It's just that Davis is SUCH a Trump sycophant and corporate whore

that this is sorta like saying Hitler had a crappy moustache.

[beachbum bob]

5. Dick Durbin refuses to upgrade to first class, Ray Lahood, a GOP guy also

refused to take the upgrade....