Claire McCaskill Sells Private Plane

WASHINGTON -- Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., has sold a private plane she co-owns with her husband, months after her use of it for official business and failure to pay back taxes created a political headache.

In April, McCaskill said she would "sell the damn plane" after a series of damaging revelations. First she repaid the government $88,000 after she was criticized for reimbursing herself for use of the plane on official and political travel. Then she paid $287,000 in back taxes, penalties and interest to St. Louis County.

"Claire said she would sell the plane and she did," said Trevor Kincaid, a McCaskill spokesman. "True to her word as always."

Kincaid said the plane sold for approximately $1.9 million to Northeast Montana Stat Air Ambulance Cooperative, which was a loss. Kincaid declined to specify how great a loss it was.

McCaskill, seeking re-election in 2012, faces a tough race in a state she narrowly won in 2006. Republicans have pounded McCaskill on the plane, dubbing it "Air Claire" and using it to damage McCaskill's reputation as a champion of good government.

Three Republicans are vying to take her on: Rep. Todd Akin, St. Louis-area businessman John Brunner and former State Treasurer Sarah Steelman.

After McCaskill's troubles surfaced, Republicans filed a complaint with the Senate Ethics Committee, which was dismissed. Reimbursement for official travel is allowed under Senate rules but not for political travel. McCaskill reimbursed the government for all of her travel with the plane.

Even with the plane's sale, Missouri Republicans and the eventual GOP Senate nominee are certain to highlight the issue as McCaskill runs for re-election.

Comments

[Maxine]

01:42 PM on 11/02/2011

I will vote for Claire in 2012. She hasn't damaged the country in the same way as the Republicans. They have devastated us and are proud of it.

[longnow]

07:47 PM on 10/26/2011

I could swear she was in NYC recently and that I sat near
her in Whole Foods, recognized her but didn't say anything
b/c I wasn't sure. I supported her last time & I will support
her again even if she was not recently in NYC.

[jumpinjezebel]

11:46 AM on 10/26/2011

Senator Claire should hit back hard at the purveyors of hate on the radio. Paint them all as defenders of giving the rich more and oppressing unions and destroying the middle class. Also tie them to Faux Noise and Rupert and his scandals. "Do we really want another Roy Blunt ("son of Tom Delay") in the congress and the party of NO!

[janicedow1]

11:13 AM on 10/26/2011

Jeez..............................are ANY of these politicians honest????

[jumpinjezebel]

11:47 AM on 10/26/2011

Ask Roy Blunt about his ties to Big Oil why he only votes with the party of NO.