The U.S. Drug Czar Rahul Gupta is being slammed as “egocentric” and a “primma donna” who creates a “toxic work environment.” Most striking is that he’ll blow up months of work on a trip when he learns that he’d have to fly Southwest Airlines.
The trips, the former and current officials said, often centered around Gupta rather than the work ONDCP was doing. He expected Cabinet-level treatment when traveling and would blow up plans when staff couldn’t deliver.
He canceled one trip last year, after months of planning, because he didn’t want to fly Southwest Airlines, the officials said.
He also once calculated the square-footage of a hotel room, and then requested staff book him a larger room. And he liked to roll up to events — including weekend embassy parties — in a black government SUV with staff, even though that sort of service is not typically used by ONDCP directors for events unrelated to the office’s direct work.
In contrast, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen flies coach even though taxpayers would get better value out of the increased work productivity that would come from a premium cabin seat.
The former Federal Reserve chair who is known for showing up hours early to the airport to avoid missing flights, and to be at the gate early enough to ensure overhead bin space, would probably benefit from flying private.
SPOTTED: Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen – 19th row, briefing materials in hand – en route to Michigan for an economic speech today in Dearborn at the @Ford Rogue Electric Vehicle Center pic.twitter.com/ZX6ARUXPCh
— Kristin Brown (@kristincbrown) September 8, 2022
Meanwhile, the Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy leads a small agency that is required by law to oppose any attempt to legalize use of drugs in any form, including by paying television and movie studios to include anti-drug messages and reviewing and signing off on scripts (and influencing changes to scripts). They’ve also produced news packages for local television propagandizing on drugs without disclosure that they were produced by the government.
Perhaps the Drug Czar should be required to fly Allegiant?
(HT: @crucker)
Classic desi Bunty behavior
@ Gary — I do not follow how simply avoiding WN could create problems? I would never fly them, and I have no trouble getting A to B.
@Gary Leff – that was very kind and generous of you to post this article today.
Considering the week that some of your readers have had (Trump’s $355M civil fraud fine, True The Vote’s response in Georgia court that they have NO factual data or names to prove the claims of votor fraud on which the film “2000 Mules” was based), it is very nice of you to post this travel-related story of an obviously self-important public servant.
This will be some red meat on which MAGA can chew. Why not. It can’t be much worse for them. (Except for the other three trials yet to conclude, I suppose).
I’m sure none of us have chosen an airline on which we get better perks, or a hotel where we may get an upgrade… yeah. Bad public servant! Gupta deserves a bit of the public pillory. Shame!
Still, with all the travel she does, Yellen in the middle seat in coach… wow. I’m sure nearly all of us would aspire to do better than that seat.
Hey folks, you voted for this mess. Now we all have to live with it! The old saying, “Are you better off today than you were 4 years ago?” One doesn’t vote for one or the other. One votes for the lesser of the evils.
Nixon’s aide Ehrlichman admitted that the “war on drugs” was just to get at anti-war protestors and Blacks. Like man things that evil man did, the damage continues.
As an avid Southwest Passenger, I am grateful that he chooses not to fly on them. Narcissists, and all other entitled in their own mind passengers are a pain in the rear to those of us who just enjoy a good flight with pleasant staff and other like passengers.
Please tell him Thanks, keep up the good thoughts. As Herb Kelleher once said, Southwest Airlines is not for everyone. That is why they have other choices.
@Zebraitis – Trump’s civil fraud trial isn’t really a travel-adjacent. I have posted plenty in the past about Trump Hotels. The Office of National Drug Control Policy was actually established during a Republican administration. But ok call this red meat for MAGA.
Thank you for bringing this taxpayer abuse story out of the shadows. How come you got a taxpayer abuse flyiing story missed by TMZ (let alone CNN, CBS, NBC, etc?)
No idea if the allegations in that article are a fair representation of Gupta’s behavior but, if they are, he should be fired.as he’s obviously not cut out for public service.
Great to see half the comments so far are either racist or rabidly political. Keep it up, guys, you make this site so much more readable. /s
Gupta has really outdated thinking. Around 1999, I avoided Southwest but in 2024, they are equal or better than American or United. The exception is if one has a First Class ticket. Does Gupta? Is First Class allowed for medium length domestic flights?
Gary writes that “…Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen flies coach even though taxpayers would get better value out of the increased work productivity that would come from a premium cabin…” (excuses, excuses)
I can work in economy class on a domestic flight to Detroit and I can work if I arrive at the airport early. (I admit that a flat bed is more restful on a red eye but Yellin’s flight is DC to DTW).
Besides, Yellin is just going for a speech. If she reads more from the speech instead of memorizing it, the government functions the same.
Gupta’s staff is either not finding out his preferences or deliberately trying to antagonize him if the underlying conditions from the story are true. As for Yellen, I won’t be a fan no matter what seat she is flying in. As the head of the Fed she could have done much better. The same is true as Secretary of the Treasury.
Have we considered that Janet Yellen is such a tiny person that coach feels to her like first class does to the rest of us?
Can understand why Gupta won’t fly SWA – he prefers airlines, like Alaska, where you may get off the plane much faster if you chose the right window seat.
! American — Southewst sucks for one reason — no assigned seats. Period.
@Gary Leff
“The Office of National Drug Control Policy was actually established during a Republican administration”
Biden is complicit. He could have left the post vacant or closed the office. He did not.
Allegiant is many times better than Southwest. That would be an improvement!!
Well considering drug and fentanyl use has proliferated big time and drugs are streaming across the border daily, this guy should worry less about Southwest and more about drugs.
“The Office of National Drug Control Policy was actually established during a Republican administration” says Gary’s comment…Biden is complicit. He could have left the post vacant or closed the office. He did not.
If fact, Gupta was appointed by Biden, not Trump.
Gupta grew up and did his higher education in India.
@Gary Leff – he is, after all, a Biden appointee…
C’mon, you have to give the maga a break… not only those two things mentioned above, but it seems the whole Burisma thing fell apart too due to proven fraudulent testimony.
Now if we can only do something about Putin… I need to book a J class seat to LT to get dual citizenship completed. Looking forward to having a US, LT and EU passport. (As long as he doesn’t swing into the Baltics after 45’s statement)
Any OneWorld carrier you would recommend to Vilnius?
I have friends and they will pay anything to avoid flying southwest like double and triple!
And they are cheap people typically and frugal
Myself I’m kind of with them however when I caught a short Southwest flight for 49 dollar sale recently I suppose there is a price low enough that I can suck up their crappy boarding process without assigned seats and get onboard ugh
Working for the government has a lot of rules you have to follow. As a worker bee we mostly had to fly coach but if the flight/trip was beyond a certain time frame (been years so I can’t remember the exact length but something like 12 hrs) you were entitled to a business class seat. However most of the time the office would simply say “sorry we don’t have the budget for it” so you were out of luck.
People at higher levels got a lot more perks.
The cry babies who complain about Southwest’s boarding process and non assigned seats must enjoy paying for checked bags, seat fees and overpriced tickets. Personally I am happy that they refuse to fly Southwest – makes flying more enjoyable knowing that these complaining prima donna’s are not on board. I have flown Southwest for over 35 years and have never had a problem with any of the flights I have flown. So cry on, and stay away – Southwest flyers rejoice knowing that you won’t be aboard.
I also refuse to fly Southwest, and I’m not even a czar. Garbage boarding system, no thanks, I don’t need that stress of having to fight for a seat.
Mantis – Poor baby – enjoy paying for your checked luggage, overpriced tickets and for your assigned seat. The so-called “garbage” boarding system used by Southwest has been found to be the most efficient, time saving system found to board aircraft. Having unassigned seating allows all passengers to choose where they desire to sit – if one wants to be at the head of the line to board, one can purchase the “Early Bird” option or get an upgrade for boarding.
@Zebraitis
Liberals like you are the enemy of the people.
@Zebraitis
The Georgia case is falling about because the DA is corrupt.
@andy. So true. 50% of Americans pay zero federal taxes and do nothing but demand more free stuff. I’m sure Zebraitis is one of them. Or he’s got a terminal case of TDS
It is just another bogus, bullshit DemocRat case. These morons, Fanny and her lover, should be the one’s on trial.
@Zebraitis
From one Lugan to another, strange to find you on the left.
@AndyS & @RJB – Nice! Feel better? I know, bad week, right?
I’m an Eisenhower Republican, my parents were war refugees, and I’m first generation US.
Like most with that background, I hussled, put myself through college, and made my millions (specifically in Tech)
I’m working with Fidelity Wealth Management to make sure that we have money to continue to travel, as my wife and I do.
So, yeah… I must be one of those scarey liberals, right? Oooooo… scary…
As for me, just looking forward to Gary’s response on the preferred One World biz class tip. I like sitting up front.
SWA’s been around since the late 60’s. Never seemed to need /want to fly them. Getting status on carroers w/ international routes have been my pursuit. I’ve got 3 more continents on which I need to snowboard, and SWA just won’t cut it.
@Jack the Lad – that is an interesting conversation I would like to have, but this isn’t the forum for it.
Let’s just say that the GOP left me.
Modern LT is VERY pro democracy. Did you know that based on GDP they’re the largest contributor to Ukraine’s war effort?
@david
Dead to you.
Leave.
…better off today than you were 4 years ago?
Four years ago, our society was using refrigerator trucks as morgues.
Joe R – what point are you trying to make?
@ David R.Miller — Well, at least Ms. Willis lover is a consenting adult. unlike your Orange Hitler who prefers rape and wants to sleep with his own daughter. You are just upset that the walls are closing in on the treasonists who tried to overthrow the US government.
I am glad to hear you prefer wasting your time fighting for a seat on WN.
Gene – Get help. You are a brainwashed moron who wallows in the CNN/MSNBC lies. MAGA 2024
“…even though taxpayers would get better value out of the increased work productivity that would come from a premium cabin seat.”
Ridiculous! There is no “upside” to more productivity from a government employee. Doesn’t Gary understand that government is incapable of creating value and can only destroy wealth?
My thoughts:
1. Kudos to Janet Yellen…honest, straightforward, intelligent, articulate.
2. I fly Southwest regularly, and I rarely have a bad experience. I plan carefully, and other than an occasionally delayed flight, I find a competitive price for my ticket, a good seat, and arrive safely at my chosen destination…and on the occasion I have a bit more luggage, I never worry about extra fees; “haters gonna hate,” I guess.
@ James N — The US Government creates almost all value in the US/world, through its scam The Fed.
Gary: You really need to put the banhammer down on some of these clowns.
I am certain you are driving away readers.
@Gene
Don’t forget via the largest terrorist organization aka the us military.
@Gene
Lying about the peaceful 6th protest over and over again doesn’t make it more true.
@David
Nobody’s crying but you. You act like criticism of SWA is like someone calling your wife fat and ugly.
Yeah, a free for all with everyone acting like entitled dicks might be faster than the other airlines that have more boarding groups than leftists have gender identities, but it is also much more stressful and unpleasant. I’ll happily trade a few minutes boarding time to know where I’m going to sit and not be pissed off the rest of the flight.
And actually there are more efficient methods out there, like first window then middle then aisle, so it has not been shown to be the most efficient.
Enjoy your greyhound in the air. And say hi to your fat ugly wife for me.
@AndyS – do you sincerely belive that it was peaceful?
Are we not to believe what we saw with our own eyes that day?
Because if that is your perception of reality, then please never sit in the exit row aisle.
We need sane people there in case of emergency.
I refuse to fly in unassiged seating too. And I’m just a push-over, not a drug czar or anyone else.
@ AndyS — Sorry you are so stupid.
@Andy and Name Withheld
How many people did the thousands of *unarmed* J6 protestors kill? Zero. No, a security guard who has a heart attack the next day doesn’t count. How much damage did they cause? Hardly any. Compare those numbers with the “mostly peaceful” antifa and BLM protests. It really is true, you leftists keep telling yourselves the same lies until you believe they are reality. Quite sad.
Mantis — You poor baby. (I am not married – so your “fat wife” comment means nothing.) Your comment – I’ll happily trade a few minutes boarding time to know where I’m going to sit and not be pissed off the rest of the flight.” – shows that you not knowing “where to sit” is apparently cause for you to find something to be “pissed” about – complain much? You must be a joy to be around. But it is fine with me if you would rather overpay for your flight, pay for checked bags, and pay for the right to sit for a few hours in the seat of your choice… The best part is you refuse to fly Southwest – your non presence means one less complaining baby’s antics not to have to put up with. I take great pleasure knowing that I have purchases an inexpensive flight, not having to pay extra for checking bags and sitting where I choose and not having to pay extra for a seat. A win for all – you get to waste money while I get to enjoy the extra money I did not have to spend.
Richard wins the “Sarcasm of the day award”, with his #1 point about Yellen.
@toomanybooks, How do you define “clown”? Is it anyone who doesn’t agree with your desires? Also, how do you know his methods aren’t creating more readers?