Politics

What It Cost A Small County To Provide Protection For A Joe Biden Trip

Alex Pappas Political Reporter
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When Joe Biden traveled to Colorado for a private trip earlier this month, the sheriff’s department in small Pitkin County spent thousands of dollars to help protect the vice president, infuriating local officials in one county.

Now, according to new documents provided to The Daily Caller, the Pitkin County Sheriff’s Department spent a total of $8,175.79 in both employee wages and food while working the Biden trip.

The Sheriff’s Office spent $6,910.30 to pay for the work of 15 employees. Another $1,265.49 was spent on food for those on the assignment.

Those figures do not include the costs of the other agencies and localities involved in protecting Biden, the documents note.

Biden was in Colorado to attend an invitation-only event in nearby Aspen. The weekend event was sponsored by a private equity firm. Pitkin County, according to the 2010 census, has a population of 17,148.

Following the trip, Pitkin County Sheriff Joe DiSalvo told reporters that he wanted the private equity firm that invited Biden to reimburse them for the costs.

“The responsible thing to do when big corporations invite him here is to consider the impact not only financially on a small county but also everyone here,” DiSalvo told the Aspen Daily News.

It’s typical for local police and sheriff departments to offer support for such visits. In this case, Pitkin sheriff’s deputies were enlisted to block roads as Biden’s 40-car motorcade traveled to and from Aspen to the Eagle County airport 70 miles away.

A Biden spokeswoman didn’t immediately return an email seeking comment.

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Alex Pappas