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Give Gov. Riley a plane Rep. Marc Keahey may mean well in questioning Gov. Riley's use of state aircraft. But the freshman Grove Hill legislator's timing isn't the best. Coming right on the heels of Keahey's introduction of a legislative bill to limit the governor's and other officials' use of the aircraft was the announcement of the $3.7 billion ThyssenKrupp steel mill for southwest Alabama. Gov. Riley played a big role in landing this massive industry and is deservingly riding a huge popularity wave right now. That's not to say it is OK to misuse state aircraft. Past governors, including Guy Hunt, Fob James and Don Siegelman have been guilty. Gov. Riley might be a little guilty too. But aside from the obvious wrong of using a state plane for politicking purposes, a governor deserves a little leeway. They don't technically have a day off or a vacation. They are on call around the clock. The trips that Rep. Keahey has questioned involve flights to Columbus, Ga. and Jackson, Miss. for the weddings of a member of the governor's security team and that of a former aide. Staffers from the governor's office flew with Gov. and Mrs. Riley. Gov. Riley has not tried to hide any flights. They are posted on his website along with a passenger list. That is commendable and as it should be. The public has a right to know. Gov. Siegelman, by comparison, would not publicize flight logs at all.
If Gov. Riley keeps on bringing multi-million dollar plants like ThyssenKrupp to Alabama, maybe we should just give him a plane.
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