Page 4 - ARUBA TODAY

A4 U.S. NEWS
Friday 29 September 2017
Job in jeopardy, HHS chief promises to repay charter costs

— $51,887.31, according to day, “I think we’ve still got
Price’s office — was for the the confidence of the pres-
embattled secretary. Price ident.” About the contro-
did not address the over- versy, he said, “We’re go-
all cost of the flights, which ing to work through this.”
could amount to several In his statement, Price said
hundred thousand dollars. taxpayers “won’t pay a
Price, a former congress- dime for my seat on those
man from Georgia regard- planes.”Price played a sup-
ed as a conservative policy porting role in the fruitless
expert, said he hopes to Republican effort to repeal
keep his job. At the White Barack Obama’s health
House, press secretary care law — another source
Sarah Huckabee Sanders of frustration for the presi-
wouldn’t go that far. dent.Prompted partly by
“We’re going to conduct controversy over Price, the
a full review and we’ll see House Oversight and Gov-
what happens,” Sanders ernment Reform Commit-
told reporters. Travel by tee has launched a wide-
other Cabinet secretaries is ranging investigation into
also attracting scrutiny. travel by Trump’s political
Price said all his travel was appointees. On Wednes-
legally approved by the day the committee sent
department he heads. requests for detailed travel
Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price, left, is given a band-aid after a flu vaccination On Wednesday Trump records to the White House
from Sharon Walsh-Bonadies, RN., right, during a news conference recommending everyone age
six months an older be vaccinated against influenza each year, Thursday, Sept. 28, 2017 in Wash- declared that he’s “not and 24 departments and
ington. happy” with his Health and agencies, dating back to
(AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais) Human Services secretary the president’s first day in
By RICARDO ZALDIVAR taxpayers for the cost of use of taxpayer dollars,” over reports that Price flew office.Travel by Treasury
CATHERINE LUCEY his travel on charter flights Price said in a statement. on costly charters when he Secretary Steven Mnuchin
Associated Press taken on government busi- “I was not sensitive enough could have taken cheaper and EPA Administrator
WASHINGTON (AP) — Fight- ness and pledged to fly to my concern for the tax- commercial flights on gov- Scott Pruitt has also drawn
ing to keep his job, health commercial going forward payer.” His mea culpa ernment business. Asked criticism.A senior GOP law-
secretary Tom Price said — “no exceptions.” came a day after a public whether he’d fire Price, maker on Thursday urged
Thursday he’d write a per- “I regret the concerns this rebuke from President Don- Trump said, “We’ll see.” Trump to lay down the
sonal check to reimburse has raised regarding the ald Trump.The repayment Price told reporters Thurs- rules. q
Senator: Twitter’s actions on Russia-linked accounts lacking

By MARY JALONICK counts and took action on
CHAD DAY some of them that it found
Associated Press in violation of its rules.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Twit- Warner said that Twitter’s
ter’s explanations of its ac- findings were merely “de-
tions against Russia-linked rivative” of Facebook’s
accounts are “deeply dis- work, and “showed an
appointing,” the Senate in- enormous lack of under-
telligence committee’s top standing from the Twitter
Democrat said Thursday team of how serious this is-
after a closed-door session sue is, the threat it poses to
with company executives, democratic institutions.”
and he suggested the so- He said the meeting un-
cial media giant doesn’t derscored the need for the
understand the seriousness company to come forward
of Congress’ investigation in a public hearing. Both
into Russian election inter- the House and Senate in-
ference. telligence panels are invit-
Sen. Mark Warner of Vir- ing Twitter, Facebook and
ginia said that the infor- Google to testify this fall.
mation Twitter shared with The committees have
the committee’s staff “was been investigating Russia’s
frankly inadequate on al- interference in the election
most every level.” and any possible coordi-
After meeting with staff of nation with associates of
both the House and Senate Twitter’s Carlos Monje, the director of public policy and philanthropy, right, knocks on the door Republican Donald Trump.
intelligence committees, with Colin Crowell, head of global public policy, to enter the closed door meeting with the House They have specifically
Twitter said it had taken Intelligence Committee on Capitol Hill, Thursday, Sept. 28, 2017 in Washington. Officials from Twit- been looking at Twitter and
action to suspend about ter are on Capitol Hill as part of the House and Senate investigations into Russian interference in Facebook and their roles in
two dozen accounts that the 2016 elections. the spread of misinforma-
were linked to fake Russia- (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) tion and propaganda dur-
tied Facebook accounts during the 2016 U.S. presi- blog post that it found 22 counts. The company said ing the campaign.
that were pushing divisive dential election. accounts corresponding to it also found an additional Thursday’s closed meet-
social and political issues The company said in a about 450 Facebook ac- 179 related or linked ac- ings lasted several hours. q