Campaigns Take Different Stances on Using Private Jets

T.W. Farnam reports on the presidential race. The presidential campaigns have taken different positions on campaign finance laws dealing with their use of private jets. John McCain’s campaign says his wife, Cindy , can use her corporate jet to fly to campaign events but can’t be reimbursed with campaign funds. Barack Obama’s campaign says the candidate can’t use his personal funds to cover the cost of taking the campaign plane to Hawaii for his trip to visit his ailing grandmother. At issue are two seemingly conflicting Federal Election Commission rules. One bars campaigns from paying for trips that would exist “irrespective of the candidate’s campaign.” And the other requires campaigns to pick up the tab for any trip with campaign activity that is beyond “incidental.” Obama’s flight to Hawaii on his campaign plane, a Boeing 757, would likely have cost about $10,000 per flight hour based on typical charter ... (link)