“Palmetto 1″ is one of the two planes that South Carolina owns (Courtesy: SC Aeronautics Commission)

Senate debate was consumed Thursday not by slated budget considerations, but by how the governor is using the state airplane.

The day–and week–ended with the Senate voting for a budget amendment to sell the plane.

According to veteran legislator Sen. John Courson, the use of a state-owned airplane has become a “third rail” of politics at the Statehouse. “It’s a sort of elitist symbol, people get irate about it. They may look at ethics charges and say ‘that’s a part of politics,’ but you abuse the use of the state airplane and they go bonkers,” says Courson. “And it has bubbled up again.”

Laurens Senator Danny Verdin admonished his colleagues: “The Senate, the thoughtful august body, is reacting… to the sensationalism of the reported use of the plane?” 

This is after lawmakers of both parties Thursday levelled new criticism at Haley after her office produced an email from the State Ethics Commission allowing her to bring along her contracted videographer on flights to public events.

The governor’s office since her re-election has made the raw video of these events available as a service to the media and public. South Carolina Radio Network referenced these until the past two months, when it was sent only as edited selections.

Legislative Democrats held a press conference Thursday to criticize what they called “the ongoing practice of using the state plane for political purposes.” Senators Brad Hutto and Joel Lourie and Representatives Beth Bernstein and Mia McLeod cited records that Zach Pippin accompanied Haley on taxpayer-funded flights 17 times in the last year.

Soon after, Democratic candidate for governor, Senate Vincent Sheheen of Kershaw called for the selling of the planes.

Governor’s spokesman Rob Godfrey answered that Thursday:”First, let’s cut through the entirely political rhetoric that’s kicked off this conversation: the Ethics Commission has made it abundantly clear that everything the Democrats are complaining about is both entirely legal and entirely appropriate.

“Second, when she came into office, Governor Haley wanted to make sure every citizen who couldn’t make it to an event – and every reporter – could still see for themselves the work she’s doing and listen to the questions and her answers. It’s always been very important to her to allow everyone in South Carolina who wants to be involved in their government the opportunity to do so with as little hassle to them as possible. To that end, we hired a videographer and, rather than pay him with tax dollars, paid him with campaign funds – just as the law allows.”

In the past year, other uses  of the planes have created controversy and lawmakers have answered that with bills or budget amendments. Clemson University used the plane–and reimbursed the state– for football recruiting. Rep. Bill Chumley caught flack after he used the plane to fly in a talk show host to testify at a House hearing.   

Earlier in the day, Sen. Chip Campsen (R-Charleston) passed a budget amendment requiring the State Budget and Control Board to create a study of the cost effectiveness of owning vs. chartering a plane.

Campsen said he was not comfortable with what he calls “an ivory tower decision” without real data. He has been working on a bipartisan bill to outlaw campaign staff travel on the plane. 

Sen. Joel Lourie said a study cannot measure a state official’s judgement over how the plane should or should not be used.  The state pays the Aeronautics Commission $1.3 million yearly to maintain the plane and regional airports as well as pay pilots and mechanics.

“It’s time to clip the wings off of this sucker,” Lourie told senators Thursday. Republican leader Sen. Courson agreed that the debate would be resolved by selling the plane and allowing chartered services.

Courson said, “South Carolina is a small state and in Columbia, the epicenter of politics, we are no further than three hours by automobile than any location in South Carolina.

Courson said it will make officials weigh more carefully the importance of travel to events.

He also reminded the chamber that the planes has been a source of political argument since they were first purchased and finds irony in the current squabble between likely candidates Sheheen and Haley.

Forty-three years ago Lt. Gov. John C. West from Kershaw was running against Congressman Albert Watson from Lexington County.  It was a hot topic in the campaign as the Republicans called for selling the state airplanes.

“After being elected, Gov. West proclaimed at his victory party –amidst great cheering—that the state was keeping the planes,” laughed Courson.

Godfrey answered the vote late Thursday, ”If state officials are unable to use the state plane for official state business, then it’s certainly time to look at what we can do with the state plane that better serves the taxpayers – and that includes looking at the possibility of selling it.”