By Steve Neavling
ticklethewire.com
Taxpayers forked over $1.6 million to one of Donald Trump’s companies for Secret Service protection on his private plane.
The money was for reimbursing TAG Air – one of Trump’s companies – for flying Secret Service agents to protect the candidate, Politico reports, citing Federal Election Commission records.
While it’s standard practice to cover the costs of the Secret Service traveling with the candidates, it’s very unusual for the money to enrich a candidate’s companies.
“The taxpayers are actually reimbursing Trump for the travel of the Secret Service agents,” said Brett Kappel, a campaign finance lawyer. “It’s just another example of how the Trump campaign has taken an unprecedentedly large amount of its money and spent it at Trump-owned facilities.”
Trump’s campaign said the Secret Service payments were in accordance with FEC guidelines and regulations.
A Secret Service spokeswoman said the FEC “specifically requires security personnel such as the Secret Service to reimburse campaigns for seats” on charter aircraft.
Trump once said, “I could be the first presidential candidate to run and make money on it.”
