Come fly away
I spotted an item in the latest edition of the N.C. Register that piqued my interest. Treasurer's Richard Moore's campaign had written to the State Board of Elections to ask about the proper reimbursement rate for flying on a 1982 vintage Piper PA-31T. (That rate was $575 per hour.)
Click here to read the ask and here to read the answer.
I e-mailed Jay Reiff, Moore's campaign manager, about the exchange. He explained that he was trying to make sure the campaign stayed on the path of the straight and narrow.
Most aircrafts, even small single-engine jobbers, are owned by LLCs or other similar corporate structures, even if the only thing the LLC does is own the airplane. And if a candidate flies on such an airplane on campaign business, they must reimburse the LLC for the operation of the airplane, otherwise it's an illegal in-kind contribution.
Reiff said the campaign has used a half-dozen planes and that Moore typically only flies to a campaign event two or three times a month.
The correspondence in question, he said, makes sure the campaign is reimbursing the appropriate rate and can't be flagged later on for taking unlawful contributions.
I haven't spied any similar correspondence from other gubernatorial committees or other statewide candidates this year.
Update: Lt. Gov Perdue's campaign says it has been following the guidelines laid out in this letter. A spokesman said that Perdue hasn't flown much so far but may be taking more flights "as we get closer to the election."
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Update: Lt. Gov Perdue's campaign says it has been following the guidelines laid out in this letter. A spokesman said that Perdue hasn't flown much so far but may be taking more flights "as we get closer to the election."* Mark
Well it appears that the Republican candiates were left out about the State's flying Governor Corp.
It is rumor that Candiate Fred Smith has aquired the Kitty Hawk model at the State musuem and winging it on his 100 county BBQ Bus Tour with it attached to the top of the mobile BBQ trailer.However the State Fire Mashall and the SBI have issue a warrent for his arrest since the BBQ trailer was still cooking burning State property without a permit.
Candiate Bill Graham order a model airplane kit from Toy's and US and is still trying to put it together like his campaign.
Candiate Judge Bob Orr has fitted out his 02 pick up campaign truck with a pair of Angel silk wings from a Xmas Set in front of the 1 st Baptist church of Black Mountain. It is reported that he was getting 200 miles per gallon, but it was confirmed that he was shot down over Goldboro Air Force Base by a fleet of F-16's bound for Turkey.
Posted on November 20, 2007 8:12 PM