WASHINGTON (CNN) — Prior to resigning from his position as secretary of Health and Human Services, Tom Price vowed to reimburse taxpayers for $51,887.31 — the cost of his seat on private flights.
That payment has now been processed, an HHS official told CNN Thursday (Oct. 5).
Price was caught in the midst of a scandal when it was uncovered that he had been traveling via taxpayer funded charter planes.
Politico reported Price traveled on the charter planes at least 24 times since May. The total cost of the travel was estimated to be in the hundreds of thousands of dollars and his check was to cover his seat on the flights rather than the entire cost of the flights.
He ultimately resigned after reports that President Donald Trump was displeased with the situation, which also spurred the White House to issue travel guidance to heads of agencies.
The official said the check was written before he resigned from his position.
“Today, I will write a personal check to the US Treasury for the expenses of my travel on private charter planes,” Price said in a statement just before he issued his resignation. “The taxpayers won’t pay a dime for my seat on those planes.”
Price resigned last week and also had served as a Republican congressman for Georgia before joining the Trump administration.
