The most recent campaign finance disclosures from powerful Democratic Senator Claire McCaskill show that she utilized over $20,000 in private jet services out of Missouri in just three months. While it is not uncommon for Senators to fly private, or with great frequency –that is not where this story ends!
McCaskill’s charter service of choice, Aero Charter, is based out of an airport right next to her Missouri home in Kirkwood.
According to a report, McCaskill and her husband are owners of a single-engine private jet, acquired through their company, TLG Aviation LLC. Interestingly, the plane is registered at the same airport that happens to be the headquarter of Aero Charter. TLG Aviation LLC is currently valued at over $ 1 million as revealed in senator’s personal financial disclosure form.
The financial disclosures show that the cost of all of McCaskill’s flights were actually covered by in-kind campaign donations from Aero Charter, while Aero’s CEO, Raymond Van De Reit Jr. also gave directly to the McCaskill campaign.
It is not the first time, Senator is caught in a controversy regarding expenditures and reporting. Six years ago, she was in a similar situation for using $ 88,000 of Senate funds for her private plane travels. The situation led to a payment being made to the Treasury Department, after which she promised to sell the plane. The promise was kept but only to buy another plane in 2013.
