From Daily Kos <[email protected]>
Subject JD Vance used taxpayer funds for birthday fun (read more)
Date August 7, 2025 6:29 PM
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Prince JD Vance has a river raised for his birthday



In what appears to be a blatant abuse of public resources, Vice President JD
Vance had the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers raise the water level of a river in
Ohio so he could have a better boating experience on a personal vacation to
celebrate his birthday, the Guardian reported.

Data from the United States Geological Survey shows that the water level of
the Caesar Creek Lake in Ohio—which feeds into the Little Miami River where
Vance was vacationing with family for his 41st birthday on Aug. 2—dropped
precipitously on the days Vance was vacationing.



According to the Guardian report, Vance's Secret Service detail made the
request to “support safe navigation” of the Little Miami River for Vance’s
security detail. But even if that was the case, which somehow we highly doubt,
Vance should have chosen a different family vacation spot.









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One has to seriously question Vance’s political instincts if he is okay with
the optics of using taxpayer resources for a family vacation on public lands,
while the National Parks Service struggles to provide average Americans with
service thanks to budget cuts from co-President Elon Musk’s destructive
Department of Government Efficiency.

"It's outrageous for the Army corps of engineers to spend taxpayer money to
increase water flow in a river so @VP can go canoeing when budget cuts to the
National Park Service have severely impacted family vacations for everyone
else," ethics lawyer Richard Painter wrote in a post on X.



Norm Eisen, who served as White House special counsel for ethics and
government reform under former President Barack Obama, said he never would have
approved this kind of trip.

“While there may well be security-related explanations or justifications that
come into the analysis, my reaction is: I don’t care. We shouldn’t be utilising
government resources in this way. I never would have allowed it,” Eisen told
the Guardian.

Democrats, meanwhile, slammed Vance for using Army Corps of Engineers
resources for his personal gain.

"In NJ, we’re waiting for Army Corp of Engineers to address ongoing,
catastrophic flooding of the Rahway River towns. Maybe after Vance family
vacation," Kathleen Miller Prunty, the commissioner of public safety in
Cranford, New Jersey, wrote in a post on X.








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Ultimately, this is just the latest time Trump administration officials have
used public resources for private enjoyment. President Donald Trump notoriously
spent tens of millions on an ultimately lame military parade to celebrate his
birthday. He is also spending billions of taxpayer dollars on a new Air Force
One that he will then take with him after he leaves office—an insanely corrupt
deal that Republican yes-men in Congress are happy to let Dear Leader have.

What’s more, Trump is spending tens of millions of taxpayer dollars to travel
to his personal golf properties not only in the United States, but also abroad.
Most recently, he spent $10 million to visit his failing golf properties in
Scotland, where he was mercilessly mocked by Scots who hate his guts.

Other lower-level Trump officials are also using their government positions
for personal gain. FBI Director Kash Patel has been accused of using government
private jets for personal travel. And Department of Homeland Security Secretary
Kristi Noem requested a new $50 million private jet to ferry her around to her
evil stunts.

The Trump administration wants all of us to go without as they live in the lap
of luxury with taxpayer resources. F that.



Click here to check out this story on DailyKos.com.
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