WEST COLOMBIA – Senate majority leader Shane Massey hopes to take South Carolina out of the flight market, planning to introduce legislation that would unload the state’s two planes.
“My goal is to protect taxpayers’ money. I am open to the best way to do this. Legislators and others have abused their privileges at the state level in the past. When the focus was on these abuses, there were changes, ”said Edgefield Republican. “Now, we see that lawmakers have been using the state plane for their personal tours more recently. If there is a better way to do this than to sell the planes, I’m willing to listen. But I need to be persuaded. “
He plans to present a bill on March 9 that would eliminate the status of his twin engine King Air C90 from 1983 and King Air 350 from 1990. Flying on board is a privilege available to state officials and legislators on a first-come, first-served basis. official business is being conducted.
Between January 1, 2020 and February 1 of this year, the planes made 27 trips, according to flight records maintained by the State Aeronautics Commission.
Among those on board: Governor Henry McMaster, state treasurer Curtis Loftis, Port Authority state president Jim Newsome and University of South Carolina president Bob Caslen. In total, it cost taxpayers $ 85,000.
Massey pointed to a story first reported in The State newspaper on March 4 that said SC House minority leader Todd Rutherford of Columbia since 2013 has flown on planes six times with his then girlfriend, Megan Pinckney. The couple married in December.
He is not the only politician to be criticized for flying on one of South Carolina’s planes.
In 2016, Democrats accused former governor Nikki Haley of misusing the aircraft by taking a cameraman paid for the campaign on flights with her.
And in 2013, the House Ethics Committee rejected claims that state deputy Bill Chumley, R-Woodruff, misused the planes to transport a conservative commentator from Washington, DC to testify about a bill.
State officials and legislators can use the planes at no charge to them on a first-come, first-served basis, as long as travel is an official matter. However, a rule first inserted in the 2011-12 budget, and maintained in this year’s budget, specifies that account signatures, press conferences and political functions do not count as official business.
Massey is not the first lawmaker to suggest that planes be discarded.
An amendment inserted in the 2013-14 Senate budget plan, supported by 26-14, would have sold the sale of the two state planes. Defenders said at the time that this would end the recurring accusations of its misuse by government officials.
Follow Adam Benson on Twitter @ AdamNewshound12.