Mike Pence's NFL Walk Out Cost Indianapolis Police $14K: Records

INDIANAPOLIS, IN — Vice President Mike Pence's NFL walk out at Lucas Oil Stadium in early October cost the Indianapolis Police Department just a little over $14,000, according to records obtained by the Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington.

Pence flew to Indianapolis from Las Vegas, where he was attending a unity prayer in the wake of the mass shooting at a country music festival, to watch the Colts play the San Francisco 49ers and honor Peyton Manning's career. But Pence left the game even before it started, apparently objecting to a number of 49ers who took a knee during the national anthem.

Pence had been ordered by President Trump to leave the game should any players kneel. The press pool traveling with the vice president never even entered the stadium after they were informed that there may be an early departure.

The documents obtained by CREW showed that the cost to Indianapolis police in relation to Pence's NFL walkout was $14,163.

The White House has thrown its weight behind condemning the kneeling protests, painting them as a matter of disrespecting the American flag and the military. The protests, however, are aimed at bringing attention to police brutality and racial injustice.

When Pence left the Colts game in October, many questioned whether the vice president's intentions were sincere or whether the walkout was a stunt. The series of events that led to Pence's departure, including the fact that no one could be surprised to see the 49ers kneel, and the public statements that came from the White House after the event all cast suspicion on the motivations behind Pence's actions.

Photo: Vice President Mike Pence waves to fans before an NFL football game between the Indianapolis Colts and the San Francisco 49ers, Sunday, Oct. 8, 2017, in Indianapolis. Photo by Michael Conroy/Associated Press