#MTGOV Daily Rundown: Billings Gazette Blasts Bullock for Sticking Taxpayers with State Plane Campaign Costs

Editorial Board Hits Bullock: The Billings Gazette Editorial Board hit back at Governor Bullock today for failing to fully pay back taxpayers when using the State plane to attend campaign events. They took issue with the fractional amount Bullock reimbursed Montanans: $1,155 covering campaign trips from April to June when using the State plane costs $1,650/hour.

• The state’s Beechcraft King Air is, once again, a political football. Gov. Steve Bullock could put the controversy to rest by relieving the state of all extra costs of a trip that mixes official business with campaigning.  – Billings Gazette, 08/08/2016
  
  
  
• The state recently billed Bullock $1,155 for 15½ overtime hours paid to the pilot to wait while the governor attended campaign events. At less than $150 per plane trip those were small reimbursements. – Billings Gazette, 08/08/2016

Fundraisers Drive Plane Use. The Billings Gazette Editorial Board also took issue with how Bullock’s using the State plane: The main priority for these trips appears to be about attending campaign fundraisers, with “official” business events scheduled in so the taxpayers’ pick up the tab.

• Official visits via the state aircraft shouldn’t be scheduled to suit a campaign fundraising itinerary. – Billings Gazette, 08/08/2016
  
  
• The controversy over the governor's plane use surfaced after the Associated Press reported last month that Bullock flew to attend a fundraiser in Billings after his official business, which included a media interview and making sandwiches with Riverside Middle School students. – AP, 03/23/2016

 No Disclosure. Bullock will NOT release any details about any of his campaign trips that coincide with official state business.

• The governor’s office didn’t disclose what, if any, official purpose the flight had, or where the government airplane was flown, or the campaign events for which the pilot’s shift was extended. – Billings Gazette, 08/02/2016

Campaign Events Never Reimbursed. The media is also reporting that Bullock attended three campaign events but then never paid back taxpayers for using the State plane to get to these events. It was also recently discovered that Bullock flew to the Paul McCartney concert in Missoula in 2014 and never reimbursed taxpayers for this trip.

• By combining flight tracking data for the state’s Beechcraft King Air with known Bullock campaign events, The Gazette was able to confirm that most, but not all, of Bullock’s campaign-related flights were included in the state’s bill to the governor’s re-election campaign. – Billings Gazette, 08/02/2016
  
  
  
• Included in the bill were several "Birthday Party for Bullock" events in April that involved flights to communities where the governor held campaign fundraisers before leaving town. One birthday party not on the list took place after business hours at the Billings Depot, where attendees were encouraged to wish the governor happy 50th birthday. Tickets were $50 to $1,320 depending on level of support. – Billings Gazette, 08/02/2016
  
  
• Two fundraising events in July also were not included. – Billings Gazette, 08/02/2016
  
  
• After a row over inappropriate uses of the state airplane, Montana Governor Steve Bullock is now being asked if that plane was used for personal enjoyment. Flight logs indicate that the state plane landed at Missoula International Airport at 4:03 P.M., just about an hour before the doors were open to the public at the Paul McCartney concert on August 5, 2014. – KGVO, 07/08/2016

Owes $15K for Paul McCartney Concert.  Chairman of the Montana Republican Party Jeff Essmann sent a $15,255 invoice to Bullock last week so he could properly reimburse Montanans in-full for his personal trip to the Paul McCartney concert that was paid for by the taxpayers.

• “While Bullock lived the high-life attending cocktail parties and enjoying the Paul McCartney concert, Montana taxpayers were stuck paying his tab,” said Chairman Jeff Essmann. “Now, it is illegal for Bullock to selectively choose which campaign flights to pay back, and it is illegal for Bullock to not pay the true value of his campaign travels. He’s abusing his power and his behavior runs contrary to the Montana values we expect to see in our elected officials.” – MTGOP, 08/03/2016