Gripe aired over flights

Topeka Capital-Journal, The, Oct 28, 2006 by Tim Carpenter

By Tim Carpenter

THE CAPITAL-JOURNAL

Gov. Kathleen Sebelius took to the air this month in a state airplane to find satisfaction at the Rolling Stones concert in Wichita.

In recent years, she has used taxpayer-funded aircraft to attend major college sports events in Muscle Shoals, Ala.; Orlando, Fla.; Scottsdale, Ariz.; and St. Louis. The state's pilots also flew Sebelius to Democratic Party events in Des Moines, Iowa; Bedford, Mass.; St. Louis; and Akron, Ohio.

The campaign of Jim Barnett, a Republican trying to unseat Sebelius on Nov. 7, raised questions Friday about these and other trips taken by the governor since she took office in 2003.

"It looks like she's been using state aircraft and taxpayer money for personal and political purposes," said Rodger Woods, communications director of Barnett's campaign.

Nicole Corcoran, spokeswoman for the governor, said Sebelius had been careful to reimburse the state for trips that might be interpreted as outside the responsibilities of Kansas' chief executive. That has been Sebelius' policy despite legal authority to forgo repayment, Corcoran said.

"We go above and beyond what is required by the law," Corcoran said.

She said Sebelius was instructed in early 2004 by Col. William Seck, superintendent of the Kansas Highway Patrol, which has statutory responsibility for securing the governor's safety, to use state executive aircraft "for all state and personal travel requiring air transportation." Despite Seck's admonition, that doesn't preclude her from using commercial airlines or military transport.

Corcoran said the governor's policy was to use funds from her campaign account to pay for flights on state aircraft that were to locations or events of a personal or political nature.

"Those expenses are reimbursed, plain and simple," Corcoran said.

Woods said independent research of the governor's travels and flight log information provided through the state's legislative research department indicated Sebelius used a state airplane to attend the Oct. 1 performance by the Rolling Stones in Wichita. Her husband, Gary, and one of her sons, John, also were on that flight originating in Topeka.

Corcoran said the bill for that trip hadn't been processed yet, but the governor's campaign fund would reimburse the state for that travel expense.

Woods also questioned an Aug. 11, 2003, flight Sebelius took from Traverse City, Mich., to Kansas City, Mo. Flight logs indicate Sebelius was returned that same day to Traverse City, which is near her family vacation home in Leland, Mich. The airplane returned to Topeka empty. The cost of that flight was $5,686, which was borne entirely by the state.

Corcoran said the governor had traveled at her own expense to vacation in Michigan, but interrupted that trip to participate in a celebration of the official start of the 2004 Chevrolet Malibu production at the General Motors assembly plant in Kansas City, Kan.

While at that event, Corcoran said, the governor drove the first Malibu off the GM production line.

"That was state business," Corcoran said. "Effective governors work across their state and outside the state to grow jobs, bring businesses and improve the economy."

Corcoran said anyone criticizing such economic development efforts for Kansas "simply does not understand the responsibilities of being governor."

Other trips scrutinized by the Barnett campaign:

n Dec. 22, 2003, flight from Topeka to Orlando, Fla., for Sebelius' appearance at The University of Kansas' football game in the Tangerine Bowl. She was accompanied by Rep. Dennis Moore, D- Kan., and then-state Sen. Mark Buhler, R-Lawrence. In 2004, Sebelius used state aircraft to attend Kansas State University's Fiesta Bowl game in Arizona and Pittsburg State University's national championship game in Alabama. All were at state expense because each was considered an element of Sebelius' role as governor, Corcoran said.

n July 25, 2004, trip to the Democratic National Convention in Massachusetts and a Jan. 15, 2005, flight to St. Louis with a group of Democratic Party officials from Kansas. Corcoran said both trips were paid for by Sebelius' political committee because they were partisan activities.

n Aug. 9 flights from Chicago to Kansas City, Mo., and back to Traverse City, Mich. Sebelius, who was vacationing in Michigan, was flown to and from Chicago to speak at a meeting of the AFL-CIO. The cost of this journey was reimbursed by Sebelius, Corcoran said.

n Aug. 13 trip from Traverse City, Mich., to Kansas City, Mo. On this occasion, Sebelius was taken from Michigan to Kansas City to speak at the annual meeting of the American Coalition for Ethanol. The trip was financed by the state, Corcoran said.

Portions of information questioned by the Barnett campaign was generated as the result of a request to the state's legislative research department. Sen. Susan Wagle, a Wichita Republican and Barnett's running mate for lieutenant governor, was responsible for urging research staff members to complete a review of flight records prior to the November election, Woods said.