Blunt using private planes for public events

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Gov. Matt Blunt has not used the state plane since taking office in January, instead chartering private aircraft -- paid for with campaign money -- to take him to some public appearances.

The intent is to save taxpayers money, Blunt spokesman Spence Jackson said Tuesday.

But as a result, Missourians also know less about where the governor is flying, who is traveling with him and who ultimately paid the bill.

All those details are open records when state employees use a state-owned airplane. But airplane records obtained by The Associated Press showed no flights by Blunt or the governor's staff.

Jackson said Blunt has charted planes when he has far to travel but otherwise has ridden in state vehicles. Jackson could not provide complete information Tuesday on how many flights have been taken, what they cost, whose planes they were or what type of aircraft was used. He said none of the flights had been donated to the campaign.

Answers should be somewhat clearer when Blunt, a Republican, and other officials file quarterly campaign spending reports with the state Ethics Commission; the next ones are due April 15. According to the campaign finance report filed a month after the November election, Blunt had about $67,000 on hand.

Jackson said Blunt plans to continue paying for his travels with campaign money, even after the leftover balance from the fall campaign is spent. Blunt can continue to raise money, because he plans to seek re-election.

"The governor doesn't believe it's appropriate to use the state plane given the state's current fiscal situation," Jackson said. "This way is preferable to the old Holden way of abusing the state airplane by using it to go to basketball games."

The Associated Press reported in June 2001 that former Democratic Gov. Bob Holden had flown on a state plane to such things as an NCAA women's basketball tournament in St. Louis (which featured his alma mater, Southwest Missouri State University) and to a public speaking specialist in Kansas City before delivering his first State of the State speech.

In his first six months in office, Holden and his staff had used the state plane on about 80 days, costing the state more than $84,000. By comparison, former Democratic Gov. Mel Carnahan had used state planes 47 days during his first six months in office in 1993. Former Republican Gov. John Ashcroft flew on state planes 48 times during his first six months in 1985.

Democrats suggested that Blunt's private airplane use amounted to an abuse of public trust.

"It's amazing that Matt Blunt would allow special interests to curry favor with him by paying for his flights," Democratic Party spokesman Jack Cardetti said. "If special interests aren't paying, then an officeholder's integrity can't be questioned. Here, you never know what Governor Blunt is giving these special interests in return."

Jackson provided some travel details, saying the governor has used Jefferson City Flying Service and the private planes of a couple individuals from southwest Missouri whom Blunt knows.

Blunt's office identified them as Glen Garrett of Purdy and Glen Larson of Springfield.

Campaign finance reports show Glenn Garrett of Purdy and Glenn Larson of Marshfield, about 25 miles from Springfield, donating $1,200 each to Blunt in the fall. Sharon Garrett of Purdy also gave $1,200.

Garrett and Larson did not return calls seeking comment, and Jefferson City Flying Service declined comment.

Blunt's flights on private planes include a Jan. 27-28 trip following his State of the State speech, to discuss his plans for education and other items; a Feb. 11 trip to discuss lawsuit limits and other business issues; and a Feb. 28 trip to talk about changing the First Steps program for developmentally disabled infants and toddlers.

Jackson said the governor has not used private planes solely to fly to his home in Springfield, but may have gone home in connection with public events. He also said he did not know whether the governor conducted private business beyond his public appearances during the trips, such as fund raising.

"That's certainly possible. That makes our case that it's even more appropriate for the campaign to pick up those costs," he said.

As an example of the costs for chartering a plane, Jackson said Blunt paid a St. Louis company about $30,000 for three trips in October, during the campaign. Part of the reason for incomplete information Tuesday, he said, is that the campaign has not yet received bills for all the flights.

State plane trips this year by Democratic Attorney General Jay Nixon and transportation officials, among others, averaged about $1,028 apiece, according to records from the state Office of Administration.