Of course, some candidates have access to the family airline.
heraldonline.com
Presidential candidates hop aboard corporate jets on campaign trail
By SHARON THEIMER, Associated Press
(Published October 21‚ 2003)
WASHINGTON (AP) - Democratic presidential candidates have sped across the country aboard the corporate jets of special interests dozens of times, sparing them the hassle of commercial flights while giving union leaders, lawyers and executives a chance to bend the ears of White House hopefuls.
John Edwards and his staff have taken $138,000 worth of flights aboard the private jet of a Dallas law firm. Dick Gephardt has gotten a lift aboard union planes. And Wesley Clark took his first campaign trip aboard a jet owned by a government contractor.
It's not cheap, but the convenience of having a plane at the ready can be priceless. The campaigns must pay companies or unions for flights on their planes based on the cost of first-class airfare or a charter flight.
President Bush doesn't have to worry about lining up a plane, traveling on the ultimate customized jet, Air Force One. He has reimbursed the government about $84,000 to cover campaign travel this year.
Edwards' campaign was one of the most frequent users of corporate flights, using the private aircraft of the Dallas-based Baron and Budd law firm, according to campaign reports analyzed by the Political Money Line campaign finance tracking service at the request of The Associated Press. The North Carolina senator had at least $19,000 in flights with the Archer Daniels Midland agricultural company, which has a major stake in trade, the federal farm bill and promoting ethanol fuel products.
Fred Baron, one of the firm's partners, and other company employees have given at least $70,000 to Edwards' campaign, records show.
Edwards' spokeswoman Jennifer Palmieri said corporate jets are a last resort.
"We prefer not to, because it's more expensive to have to use the private planes, but a lot of times it's your only option to keep up with the candidate's schedule," Palmieri said. "We always fly commercial when we can."
On the flip side, providing a jet for a presidential candidate has its advantages for the special interests.
"Obviously there is a healthy opportunity for interaction with the candidate, the elected official," said Pete West, a lobbyist for the National Business Aviation Association, an aviation group that wants the government to simplify the candidate travel payment rules.
"The company that provides it obviously has a profile enhancement with the political candidate or elected official simply because the candidate is relying on that particular company's aircraft," he said.
Clark paid $11,133 for flights on the Acxiom Corp., jet on Sept. 18, the day after he announced his candidacy, traveling to Florida and Iowa, spokeswoman Kym Spell said. Clark lobbied for and served on the board of Acxiom, an Arkansas-based data analysis firm that has been trying to win Homeland Security Department business.
Gephardt, the Missouri congressman and former House minority leader, reported at least $6,000 in flights on ADM planes and at least $19,000 worth on a bricklayers union aircraft. Gephardt also paid the machinists union at least $2,085 for travel on its jet. Both unions have endorsed him.
Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman's campaign reported at least $19,000 in flights on planes owned by the Colorado-based Tomay Inc., investment firm.
Tomay chief executive Richard Rogel's family gives to Lieberman. Lieberman's campaign reimbursed Los Angeles-based River Horse Investments at least $7,400 for travel costs and The Limited, based in Columbus, Ohio, at least $2,100; employees of each are donors to Lieberman.
Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts often uses his wife's Flying Squirrel charter airline, paying the company at least $70,000 so far.
Reports from Howard Dean's campaign showed no apparent use of corporate planes; a spokesman said the campaign may have had a few such flights and was checking.
At least one Democratic hopeful, Rep. Dennis Kucinich of Ohio, intentionally spurns the use of corporate jets, his campaign said.
Bush's campaign is required to reimburse the government for the campaign portion of trips, including flight costs for himself, first lady Laura Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney and campaign staff. Reimbursement is based on first-class service, walk-up coach fare if there is commercial service but no first class, or the charter rate if there's no commercial service.
The government pays travel costs for Secret Service agents, who guard the president on all trips.
Bush and Cheney have made more than three-dozen fund-raising stops outside Washington from mid-May, when they entered the race, through the end of the latest fund-raising quarter Sept. 30.
The Bush campaign paid White House Airlift Operations about $84,000 during the period, his campaign finance reports show. The Republican National Committee paid at least $21,000 to White House Airlift in that timeframe.
The campaign does sometimes use corporate planes: It paid San Antonio-based W.W. Tichenor & Co., investment firm at least $7,100 for air service, for example. Campaign spokesman Scott Stanzel declined to comment on campaign flight payments, beyond saying the campaign follows the law. |
