Kim Reynolds Spent $4.6M in Taxpayer Dollars on Secret Plane for So-Called “Executive Travel”

DES MOINES – A new report from the Des Moines Register reveals Kim Reynolds spent up to $4.6 million in taxpayer dollars on a secret state-owned plane for suspicious “executive travel,” which her predecessor Terry Branstad called “a poor use of public funds.”

As the Register reports, the plane was purchased for law enforcement use with federal COVID-19 relief funds and costs taxpayers “about $830 an hour” to operate. Despite claiming that the plane “is only used by the governor for official purposes,” Reynolds used the plane to travel to events in Waterloo and Sioux City, where she endorsed Ashley Hinson for U.S. Senate at a political event.

Reynolds’ staff “did not respond to several emailed questions about the plane, including how much the state spent to buy it.”

Iowans deserve to know: Are Randy Feenstra, Adam Steen, Zach Lahn, Brad Sherman, and Eddie Andrews concerned with Reynolds traveling to political events on the taxpayer’s dime? Did Steen, Reynolds’ former Department of Administrative Services Director, know about this? Does the Republican gubernatorial field agree with Branstad that Reynolds using a state plane is a “poor use of public funds?” Would they also spend taxpayer dollars on “executive travel” as governor?

From Iowa Democratic Party spokesperson Terra Hernandez:

“Kim Reynolds is taking her corruption to new heights, all on the taxpayer’s dime. Reynolds using a state plane to fly to political events and lying about its purpose is not only disrespectful to Iowa taxpayers, it’s a betrayal of public trust. This is exactly the type of shady and corrupt behavior you’d expect from the country’s most unpopular governor.”

###