State Highway Patrol spends nearly $6 million on plane

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1/18/2011: Radio Story - Democrats are joining Republicans in criticizing Gov. Jay Nixon for passing travel expenses off on state agencies.

2/18/2011: Radio Story - Documents obtained by KMOX indicate Gov. Jay Nixon has billed other state agencies almost $400,000 for his flights on taxpayer-funded airplanes.

2/23/2011: Newspaper Story - Missouri's House votes to require the governor to disclose details of his future travel.

3/ 7/2011: Radio Story - The House Budget Committee reviews a plan to stop the governor from shifting his travel expenses to other agencies.

9/ 5/2012: Radio Story - Governor Nixon is in hot water again after an audit reveals he shifted $1.7 million in office costs.

9/ 5/2012: Newspaper Story - An audit criticizes Gov. Jay Nixon for billing other state agencies for travel and employees.

Intro:	Governor Jay Nixon's office is under fire after State Highway Patrol spends nearly six million dollars on a new plane in the fleet used by the governor.
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Wrap: The Missouri Senate Appropriations chair says the Missouri State Highway Patrol purchased a nearly six million dollar plane in December...but for an unknown reason.

Kurt Schaefer says this large purchase came out of the blue without legislative approval, and it raises a red flag.

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Description: "I wanna find out what the purpose of the plane is, and obviously it's a huge expenditure, and it's a huge expenditure at a time when we have been asking very worth while programs that serve citizens of this state to take cuts."

The Highway Patrol is responsible for providing transportation to the governor.

Some republicans say they are concerned the new King Air 250 will be the governor's plane.

The Highway Patrol has denied access to the plane and refuses to provide documents about the plane's uses.

Reporting from the state Capitol, I'm Taylor Beck.

Intro:	Some Missouri Lawmakers are heated after discovering a new multi-million plane was purchased without their consent.
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Wrap: Senate Appropriations chair gave word of a multi-million dollar plane purchase in a fleet of planes the Governor uses.

Kurt Schaefer says the Missouri State Highway Patrol spent five-point-seven million dollars on a new King Air 250 aircraft.

The Senate's top leader Tom Dempsey says he doesn't know specifically what the plane is for, but is worried about Governor Nixon's administration using different state agencies for the governor's travel.

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Description: "This gives us cause for concern, and it's not something we want to see. We don't want to see them operate this way for the next four years."

The controversy caused a delay in the acceptance of a nomination to one of the highest administrative offices until more information on the plane purchase is released.

Reporting from the state Capitol, I'm Taylor Beck.

Intro:	Governor Jay Nixon's administration's approval of a multi-million dollar plane purchase has Missouri lawmakers voicing loud concerns.
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Wrap: The Senate Appropriations chair says the Missouri State Highway Patrol spent nearly six million dollars on a new King Air 250.

Democratic Senator Maria Chappelle-Nadal had not heard about the purchase, but after learning more says lawmakers should focus on other issues.

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Description: "You know the focus needs to be on jobs and this nit-picking isn't doing any benefit to us period."

Chappelle-Nadal says she doesn't know what the plane is for but says she believes the governor should be able to purchase what he needs to do his job and expand the economy.

Top Senate republicans are stalling appointment to a top administrative office to find out more information about the plane.

Reporting from the state Capitol, I'm Taylor Beck.