Charlie Cristâs affinity for private planes has been well documented. But now, he really doesnât want you to know about it.
Just this past weekend, Crist flew around the state on a private jet, which isnât unusual for him. But this time, he forbade anyone from documenting his flights, saying it might âundercut his messageâ:
Of course, Cristâs paranoia about his private jet travel is probably warranted after he flew to an environmental event on the jet of a serial polluter.
And as Governor, Crist increased his use of the state plane, costing taxpayers $972,332 over a two year period. He even used it to fly to political fundraisers.
Unfortunately, Charlie Crist trying to cover up his use of private planes is much like him trying to cover up his failed record as Governor.
Floridians see right through it.
Between January 2007 And December 2008, Charlie Crist Charged $972,332 In Taxpayer-Funded Air Travel. âRecords released Wednesday by the agency that manages state-owned aircraft show that in the first two years of the Crist/Kottkamp administration, Kottkamp's office ranked second only to Crist's in taxpayer-funded air travel, despite the lieutenant governor's light schedule. The Department of Management Service said that from January 2007 through December 2008, Kottkamp's office charged the state $722,101. Crist's office charged $972,332.â (Steve Bousquet, âLt. Governor Kottkamp Takes Trip On Taxpayers' Dime,â Miami Herald, 5/7/09)
DURING BOOK TOUR, CHARLIE CRIST FLEW ON PRIVATE JETS OF DONORS AND CEOS
While On His Book Tour, Charlie Crist Flew On Private Jet Owned By Texas-Based Trial Lawyer Steve Mostyn. âHe has just flown in from Key West on a plane belonging to Steve Mostyn, a Texas-based trial lawyer and Democratic mega-donor.â (Molly Ball, Is This What Post-Partisanship Looks Like?â The Atlantic, 3/11/14)
âIn February, Charlie Cristâs Political Committee Received A $300,000 Contribution From Steve Mostynâs Law Firm.â (âCharlie Crist Picks Up Biggest Check To Date From Texas Trial Attorney Steve Mostyn,â SaintPetersBlog, 3/5/14)
In February, Charlie Crist Flew On Private Jet Owned By Martin Hiller After Book Signing In Tallahassee To Raise Money In Islamorada. âAfter a recent book signing in Tallahassee, for instance, Crist hopped aboard the private plane of a Tampa coal and energy company owned by Martin Hiller to head down to Islamorada to raise campaign money. He will have to report that on his campaign report.â (Adam Smith, âIn St. Petersburg, Charlie Crist Wraps Up Publicity-Generating Book Tour Across Florida,â The Tampa Bay Times, 2/22/14)
AS GOVERNOR, CHARLIE FLEW ON DONOR-PAID PRIVATE JETS MORE THAN 100 TIMES âŚ
The Orlando Sentinel: âGov. Charlie Crist Often Flies On Private Jets But Keeps Details Under Wraps.â (Megan OâMatz, âGov. Charlie Crist Often Flies On Private Jets But Keeps Details Under Wraps,â The Orlando Sentinel, 3/22/09)
During Two Year Period, Charlie Crist Flew 100 Times On âPrivate Jets Of Wealthy Businessmen,â But Wouldnât Answer Any Questions About Who Was Paying For The Trips. âCrist regularly flies on the private jets of wealthy businessmen, the Sun Sentinel found, but the governor won't disclose the details. During the past two years, Crist's calendar shows about 100 occasions when he was scheduled to fly in or out of private air terminals to get to the capital, concerts, dinners, sporting events, political appearances and stays in St. Petersburg and South Florida.â (Megan OâMatz, âGov. Charlie Crist Often Flies On Private Jets But Keeps Details Under Wraps,â The Orlando Sentinel, 3/22/09)
⌠AND FLEW ON STATE-OWNED JET FOR CAMPAIGN, PERSONAL REASONS ON THE TAXPAYER DIME
Crist Took 96 Trips On State-Owned Private Jets In 2007 Alone. âAmong the frequent fliers on the taxpayers' tab were former Gov. Charlie Crist ⌠In 2007, a year when state officials spent more than $1 million using state planes, Crist took 96 trips. Controversies and ethics complaints seemed to follow the officials' flight paths, and state leaders gradually reduced their use of the planes as the economy headed south.â  (Editorial, âScott Puts Clamps On High-Flying Officials,â The Daytona Beach News-Journal, 1/7/11)
Over The Course Of His Term, âThe Only Statewide Official Who ⌠Increased His Use Of State Planes [Was] Gov. Charlie Crist.â âThe only statewide elected official who has increased his use of state planes is Gov. Charlie Crist, who flew around the state more often this year than last, mostly to promote legislation he signed and attend ceremonial functions. Crist has flown 84 times since the beginning of this year, 18 more times than he flew in the first 10 months of 2008. As Crist has taken more state-paid flights, he has also been hitting the campaign trail on his own dime as a Republican candidate for U.S. Senate ⌠His new wife, Carole Crist, has been flying on the taxpayersâ dime as well: she has used the state plane 19 times since January at a cost to Florida taxpayers of nearly $6,500.â (Marc Caputo, âMost Candidates Slash Use Of State Airplanes Crist Is Only Florida Official To Fly More After Questions Raised About Travel, Use,â The Miami Herald, 11/17/09)
Charlie Crist Used Stateâs Private Jet To Fly To Campaign Fundraiser On Fisher Island. âGov. Charlie Crist used the taxpayer-funded state plane Wednesday for a four-city media blitz that promoted a pro-business initiative but ended with a Miami campaign fundraiser. The ceremonial bill-signings that took him from Tallahassee to Orlando, Tampa, Fort Myers and finally, Miami, touted legislation signed eight days ago to temporarily delay an unemployment compensation tax increase. After the last event at the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce, Crist was slated to attend a fundraiser for his U.S. Senate campaign on Fisher Island. Asked at the chamber if it was appropriate to travel to a campaign event on the state plane, Crist said, `So long as I'm doing this [bill-signing] before I do something else, yes ma'am.'â (Beth Reinhard and Marc Caputo, âCrist Combines Bill Signing Tour On State Plane With Campaign Stop,â The Miami Herald, 3/10/10)
Crist Used The State Jet After Boasting That He Would Never Use The Plane For Campaign Events. âThe statement marked a reversal for the governor, who used to boast that he wouldn't fly the state plane to cities where he had both state business and campaign events. `I don't think the taxpayer ought to get me to South Florida [for a fundraiser],' Crist told a Herald/Times reporter in June when asked why he was flying commercial. `I'm trying to do the right thing.' Total cost to taxpayers for Wednesday's flyaround: About $3,100, according to flight data on similar trips maintained by the Department of Management Services.â (Beth Reinhard and Marc Caputo, âCrist Combines Bill Signing Tour On State Plane With Campaign Stop,â The Miami Herald, 3/10/10)
IN JULY, CHARLIE CRIST FLEW TO AN ENVIRONMENTAL PRESS CONFERENCE ON THE JET OF A SERIAL POLLUTER
Miami Herald Last Friday: âCharlie Crist Flies To Enviro Press Conference â On Jet Of Developer Fined For Pollutionâ âDemocrat Charlie Crist flew to an environmental press event [Friday] on the private jet of a developer fined for pollution. Almost as soon Crist stepped off the 2005 Cessna 560XL, Gov. Rick Scott's campaign had photographed its tail number and traced its ownership to developer James Finch, whose company Phoenix Construction was fined at least twice for violating environmental rules âŚâ  (Marc Caputo, âCharlie Crist Flies To Enviro Press Conference â On Jet Of Developer Fined For Pollution,â The Miami Herald, 7/28/14)
Phoenix Construction, Owned By James Finch Was Fined $1.7 Million By Department Of Environmental Protection For Polluting Waters Near Panama City Airport Construction Site. âThe Department of Environmental Protection is fining Phoenix Construction $1.7 million for environmental permit violations at the new airport under construction near West Bay. The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) notified the company Friday. The DEP's judgment follows an investigation over runoff violations from heavy rains this spring that already resulted in airport fines of $250,000 and $200,000 in fees for an outside environmental consultant.â (Pat Kelly, âPhoenix Fined $1.7 Million: Officials Say Issue Will Not Affect Opening Date, Recruitment Of Low-Cost Airline,â Panama City News Herald, 9/19/09)