A company run by the Virginia businessman whose ties to Gov. Bob McDonnell (R) are under investigation contributed more than $16,000 to the Republican Governors Association (RGA) while McDonnell held leadership positions with the group, The Center for Public Integrity reported on Monday.
The RGA’s disclosure forms filed with the Internal Revenue Service show that the company, Star Scientific, gave the group nearly $9,000 in 2011 and nearly $8,000 in 2012. The donations are listed as in-kind donations for “travel,” which suggests they could be for flights on a private jet. The company donated more than $100,000 worth of private jet use to McDonnell’s 2009 gubernatorial campaign and his political action committee.