What separation of powers?

Be forewarned, dear reader, that the following civics lesson is not for you, but for FBI Director Robert Mueller. In order for executive agencies, for example the FBI, to get extra funding for let's say a $40 million Gulfstream jet coveted by celebrities and CEO's that agency has to petition the Congress for the cash. Such petition might say something like:

"Due to the number of international terrorist attacks against United States personnel and facilities overseas, the FBI identified a need for an aircraft with long-range flight capabilities."

If the Congress, as the legislative arm of the American people, feels that is a worthy cause it will grant the money for the purpose stated in the agency's petition. Simple enough? Not to Director Mueller. Since 2004, Mueller has been using one such jet not to transport terrorism subjects, or detainees, or to quickly be able to send agents to far-away locations, but to get himself to such terrorism hotbeds like Kansas City to give a speech.

But I might be jumping to conclusions. The FBI may have many such jets and instead of just retiring them or let them fall into disrepair on an airstrip somewhere, better to have the director put them to good use. Nope. It turns out the FBI only has ONE of these jets. So, continuing with our theme, let's say the director takes the jet to fight terrorism in Salt Lake City, Utah with an articulately delivered speech, and a situation may arise where the FBI needs to get agents to a remote location within a 12-hour period, which apparently happens and was one of the reasons for petitioning Congress, they would be up shit's creek without a $40 million jet.

As it turns out, it's not even cheaper or more efficient for the FBI to use the Gulfstream to bus Mueller around. Mueller likes to fly out of Reagan National, so each times he takes the jet, the FBI needs to fly it from the small airfield where it is kept to Reagan, which costs an addition $1000 each time.

If you'd like to take a look at Mueller's travels, the Washington Post has a nice little graphic for you.