Fenty asked to repay the city for bike expenses

WASHINGTON - When D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty flew to Denver for the Democratic Convention in the summer of 2008 -- so did the mayor's bike. And District taxpayers picked up the tab.

D.C. police officers, responsible for the mayor's protection, spent time and money transporting Fenty's bike, including using tax dollars to fly the bike across country, sources tell WTOP.

WTOP submitted a Freedom of Information Act request for travel receipts for the mayor's security detail to find out how much has been spent flying his bike as he travels the country.

The request was denied.

In the denial letter, the police department's FOIA Officer, Traci Hughes, wrote:

The records contain operational security information, including information which is part of MPD's deliberative process, personal information and information prohibited by other statute from being produced.

Previous administrations, including former Mayor Tony Williams who traveled more than any other D.C. mayor, regularly provided travel receipts for District employees, including the mayor's security detail.

Fenty, who ran on a platform of transparency and accountability, has refused to tell the public when and where he travels.

The police department did provide a total dollar amount for the travel expenses of the mayor's security detail from Nov. 8, 2006 through April 27, 2009. According to MPD, the detail racked up $364,748 in travel related expenses.

At least some part of that amount includes the cost of shipping the mayor's bike. The average cost to fly with a bike on most commercial carriers is $100 each way.

When asked about the use of tax dollars to transport his bike, Fenty did not dispute that tax dollars are being used. Instead the mayor asked how WTOP planned on reporting the findings.

"How much will you report is the percentage that went for the bike?" Fenty asked.

When told there was no way to know without his staff releasing the travel records, Fenty again answered with a question.

"Are you going to compare that amount with what previous mayors in D.C. have spent?"

The D.C. Republican Party has called on Fenty to release the records and pay back pay the city. Paul Craney, executive director of the D.C. GOP, tells WTOP, "If the mayor is going to do the right thing, he will reimburse the city."

(Copyright 2009 by WTOP. All Rights Reserved.)