Overview
- Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy defended The Great American Road Trip at a Senate Appropriations hearing on May 19, saying the family-shot YouTube series is meant to promote tourism and national unity.
- Reporting shows the project is financed by The Great American Road Trip Inc., a Delaware nonprofit that sold tiered sponsor packages and lists corporate backers including Comcast, Boeing and Toyota, with top gifts reported at about $1 million.
- The Department of Transportation says career ethics officials cleared Duffy’s participation, that no taxpayer money or salary went to the secretary or his family, and that donors receive no special treatment.
- Watchdog group CREW filed a complaint alleging possible violations of federal gift and travel rules, and the DOT Office of Inspector General has opened a review of that complaint.
- The dispute raises questions about transparency and influence because some sponsors have business before DOT, and the next developments to watch are the inspector general’s findings and any sponsor disclosure or policy changes by the department.