Rick Perry Discloses Nearly $230,000 Owed For Travel

In an amended report submitted to the Federal Election Commission today, Rick Perry disclosed that his campaign owes almost $230,000 in new travel-related debts as a result of failing to follow campaign finance rules when paying for chartered planes.

According to the amended FEC report, the Perry campaign owes a total of $227,676.07 to eight different companies for travel-related expenses.  The largest debts are owed to companies and individuals with strong Texas ties to Perry.  Javaid Anwar, the head of Midland Energy in Texas, is owed $66,362.50.  Perry owes $45,4365.16 to Friedkin Aviation, owned by Dan Friedkin, whom Perry appointed as the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission. Brian Pardo, a Texas businessman and Perry donor, is owed $22,931.15.

The story was first reported by The New York Times.

Perry’s amended report was prompted by a New York Times piece last month that revealed the Perry campaign underpaid Pardo for the use of his private planes during the last fundraising quarter.  The campaign paid only for the seats used by the campaign, not the equivalent of the full cost of a chartered flight as required by campaign finance regulations.

Upon publication of the story, the campaign told the Times it would reimburse the individuals and companies for the full price of the flight.

Perry faced additional plane problems last month when the Wall Street Journal learned the Texas governor used the same plane that was used in a drug smuggling ring, though the campaign was unaware of the plane’s previous flights.