Subscribe
Jobs
Cars
Real Estate
Apts
Classifieds
Shop
INDIANAPOLIS – Democrat Jill Long Thompson on Tuesday called on her opponent, Republican Gov. Mitch Daniels, to reimburse the state for possible political campaigning at taxpayer expense.
She also urged the governor to release various documents about his state-paid air travel and urged the state inspector general to investigate whether state property has been used for campaigning.
The statement from Long Thompson came two days after The Journal Gazette released an analysis of Daniels’ air travel in the past 19 months.
Daniels is using three state airplanes and helicopters at taxpayer expense to perform duties of the office, such as announcing new jobs, pushing his legislative agenda and viewing tornado and flood damage.
Mixed in, though, are events that seem more about getting re-elected, such as speeches at political dinners and appearances at local parades and festivals.
State records show the governor used state aircraft 61 times in 2007, or more than once a week. And his pace for the first seven months of 2008 – an election year – is 48 percent faster than in the same period last year, with 52 flights so far.
Overall, the state has spent $107,000 on fuel alone for Daniels’ trips around the state in the past 19 months.
The Long Thompson campaign seized on the issue, noting specifically that a helicopter sometimes picks up Daniels at his home and that a state plane once picked him up from vacation in West Virginia.
“Beyond any illegal or unethical activity that may or may not be going on, this is an issue of judgment and an issue of priorities,” said Travis Lowe, campaign manager for Long Thompson. “You would think that at a time when so many Hoosier families are struggling, when we are losing jobs every day and when government services are being cut, Governor Daniels would be a little more cautious with our tax dollars.”
Daniels and his office denied any wrongdoing in the original story, saying he is governing the state the same way he did the first three years of his term – which is to be accessible to Hoosiers.
His staff also noted that his campaign reimburses the state for airfare if the governor travels “solely” for a political event. Usually those events are at the end of a day spent on other state business.
The governor’s office had no further response Tuesday.
The Long Thompson campaign is considering whether to file an official complaint with the inspector general as well as an official public records request for travel-related documents.
nkelly@jg.net
