Dornan Takes Final Flight in Marine Jet

WASHINGTON — Orange County Rep. Robert K. Dornan, grounded by voters in the November election, took one last flight on a military jet Monday--at a cost of thousands of dollars to taxpayers.

The Garden Grove Republican, known as “B-1 Bob” because of his unflagging support for the B-1 bomber, hopped into the back of a two-seat FA-18 jet at El Toro Marine Corps Air Station for a spin over the California desert that included simulated bombing attacks. He had requested the flight through the Pentagon’s Office of Legislative Affairs.

The Center for Defense Information, a public interest group, estimated that Dornan’s one-hour flight cost taxpayers about $4,000, not including the cost of flying a second jet that accompanied Dornan on his flight.

A spokesman at the Marine base said the cost was half that amount, factoring in only the fuel and maintenance “turnaround” time for the jet. The center’s estimate accounted for fuel, maintenance time, spare parts usage and other items.

Maj. Charles Kelly, who flew in the second jet alongside Dornan’s plane, said the congressman was taken up “to show him . . . the capabilities of the FA-18.”

That explanation didn’t carry much weight with Eugene Carroll, the deputy director of the Center for Defense Information, who is also a retired admiral.

“It’s a little hard to see why Mr. Dornan, who is leaving office, is in need of orientation or exposure to the capabilities of the airplane,” Carroll said.

Dornan could not be reached for comment.