On Wednesday, Fox News host Sean Hannity paid for a private jet to shuttle former House Speaker turned Fox News commentator Newt Gingrich to Indianapolis for a meeting with Donald Trump, according to CNN. The meeting was reportedly one of three arranged by the Trump campaign to give him an opportunity to meet with the three finalists in his vice presidential search — Gingrich, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and Indiana Governor Mike Pence.
Hannity confirmed the report on Twitter:
“I have known New Gingrich since 1990 (I emceed his event the night the became Speaker of the House in 1994) he has been a long term,
— Sean Hannity (@seanhannity) July 14, 2016
very dear friend of mine and is a private citizen. Whatever favors I do for my friends is my business.”
— Sean Hannity (@seanhannity) July 14, 2016
Is the trip only Hannity’s business? Hannity seems to believe his jet was not a campaign contribution but a gift to a “dear friend of mine” and “a private citizen.”
Paul S. Ryan, a campaign finance expert with the Campaign Legal Center, disagrees.
According to Ryan, if the Associated Press’ report is accurate that the meeting was arranged at the request of the Trump campaign, the cost of the private jet would be an in-kind contribution to the Trump campaign, subject to the $2700 limit.
If Trump failed to report Hannity’s in-kind contribution on their next report, Ryan said, that would be illegal.
It’s unclear what kind of private jet Hannity provided, but the cost of even a one-way trip on a small jet from DC to Indianapolis, which takes over an hour, would likely far exceed $2700. If so, Hannity’s contribution itself would be illegal because it would exceed the limit.
If, on the other hand, it was Gingrich who requested the meeting in Indiana, Hannity would still have made a campaign contribution. (This scenario seems unlikely, since Trump met with multiple finalists in Indiana on the same day.) In this case, the contribution would be to Gingrich’s “testing the waters” committee for vice president.
Such committees are still required to abide by FEC rules, including the $2700 limit. Gingrich would only be required to file with the FEC if he ultimately becomes the vice presidential nominee. In any event, an in-kind contribution to Gingrich from Hannity in this scenario that exceeded $2700 would also violate election law.
Gingrich appeared a guest on Sean Hannity’s show and Hannity questioned him extensively about his meeting with Trump. He did not reveal, however, that he paid to make the meeting happen.