Better Government Association

Blago political allies used government planes

April 17, 2007
The Associated Press

SPRINGFIELD -- The people flying on Illinois government airplanes aren't always government employees. State records show Gov. Rod Blagojevich sometimes takes lobbyists and political donors with him on trips.

Fundraiser Chris Kelly and lobbyist John Wyma each flew with the governor more than a dozen times during his first term, the Chicago Sun-Times reported Monday. The wife of indicted campaign donor Antoin "Tony" Rezko also used a state plane.

The governor's campaign fund paid the state $54,000 for the flights.

Ethics watchdogs say political figures shouldn't be using state planes at all -- especially with Blagojevich.

"He ran as a reformer. As a reformer, you're going to be held to higher standards," said Jay Stewart, executive director for the Better Government Association.

For more than four decades, the General Assembly's four leaders and the state's constitutional officers have been permitted to use state planes for personal reasons or political work. Political and personal flights comprise about 1 percent of the Transportation Department's flights.

Blagojevich and his staff have used the perk the most.

"The state planes support state government and elected officials," Blagojevich spokeswoman Rebecca Rausch said. "They can use the planes for state business, political business or personal business. It needs to be billed appropriately."

The auditor general has found that the amounts billed by the Transportation Department cover only 40 percent to 60 percent of the actual costs. By that measure, the flights cost the state a minimum of $90,000.