HHS secretary resigns amid travel scandal

Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price resigned Friday amid fallout from a high-dollar travel scandal. Earlier this week, Politico revealed Price chartered private planes for government business instead of flying on commercial airlines, charging taxpayers $400,000 for at least 26 trips since May. Price’s overpriced travel prompted the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform to launch an investigation into travel expenses of other top Trump administration officials. President Donald Trump acknowledged earlier Friday the negative headlines had became a distraction. “I don't like the optics,” he told reporters. Price pledged to repay nearly $52,000 from his own pocket and apologized for his fiscal irresponsibility. Although Trump called Price “a good man,” the former House lawmaker from Georgia couldn’t regain enough White House favor to keep his job. Price is the first Cabinet member in Trump’s administration to resign. He held his post for less than eight months. During his time in the House, when he served on the Budget Committee, Price was known as a fiscal conservative.