From the KDP: New Herald-Leader Report: Matt Bevin Continues to Hide “Reasons He’s Flown on State-Owned Planes to Conduct his Own Personal & Political Business”
Bevin’s “blend of official business and personal business also gets murky in out-of state travel.”
“The most common destination the governor has refused to explain is Maine, where he owns a vacation home.”
KENTUCKY DEMOCRATIC PARTY
Frankfort, KY — A newinvestigative report from the Lexington Herald-Leader this morning details how Matt Bevin is hiding why he uses taxpayer-owned state planes for personal and political reasons. In particular, the Herald-Leader reports that 28 trips were left off a list the governor provided for trips taken in 2016 and 2017, noting “the list, though, didn’t mention all the reasons he’s flown on state-owned planes to conduct his own personal and political business.”
The latest report comes as Matt Bevin has been under fire for secretly using the taxpayer-funded state plane for political and personal flights, and telling taxpayers that how he uses the plane is “none of their business.”
The Herald-Leader’s new investigation finds that Bevin’s “blend of official business and personal business also gets murky in out-of state travel,” citing numerous examples, including:
“The most common destination the governor has refused to explain is Maine, where he owns a vacation home. Those trips could often get complicated, as destinations were tacked on to the itinerary. For example, there was no reason given for a trip to Bethel, Maine on June 22 and 23, 2017. On that trip, Bevin stopped in Baltimore, Maryland, on the way there and Hartford, Connecticut, (about 20 miles from where his family’s bell business is located) and London, Kentucky, on the way back.”
“In June 2016, Bevin traveled to the National Governor’s Association meeting in Des Moines, Iowa. Afterward, he traveled to Shenendoah, Virginia, and then Auburn, Maine. After spending three nights in Maine, he headed to the Republican National Convention in Cleveland and back to Frankfort that same night. The reason listed for the 5-day trip was ‘National Governors Association’ and no mention was made of the Republican National Convention.”
“The purpose of a trip to Manchester, New Hampshire, in January 2016 was listed as an ‘Economic Development Meeting’ but did not note that Bevin was a guest speaker at a luncheon for the New Hampshire Republican Party the same day.”
“Another flight, to Indianapolis, cited economic development as the reason for traveling but did not note that Bevin spoke at the Indiana Republican Party Spring Dinner.”
Kenny Colston, spokesperson for the Kentucky Democratic Party, said: “It’s time for Matt Bevin to come clean about all of his time flying around the country on taxpayer-funded state planes for for his own political gain and personal vacations. Bevin’s arrogance and secrecy is insulting to Kentucky taxpayers who own this aircraft. Our families deserve answers from Bevin.”