Governor’s Sunday helicopter travels have come at taxpayers’ expense

• By MICHELLE MILLHOLLON
• Advocate Capitol News Bureau
• Published: Aug 30, 2009 - Page: 1A

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On Father’s Day this year, Gov. Bobby Jindal settled into a state helicopter with two staff members and flew to church services in Springhill.

A week later, state records show, he was in Dry Creek, again to attend church. The weekend after that it was a church in Monroe.

The Advocate reviewed Jindal’s travel by gathering helicopter records from State Police through a public information request and verifying the purpose of the trips with the Governor’s Office. The helicopter records provided by State Police covered March 2 to July 20.

In May, June and July, there was rarely a Sunday when the governor didn’t board a taxpayer-funded helicopter to attend church services in far-flung parts of the state. He traveled by helicopter to churches less frequently in March and April.

Over five months, Jindal took more than three dozen helicopter trips. Fourteen were to attend church services, according to state records.

He worshipped in Hornbeck, Many, Logansport, Angie, Elizabeth, Harrisonburg, Columbia, Winnsboro, Coushatta, Robeline and Anacoco.

At least two aides usually accompanied him along with his security detail and State Police pilots. The public pays their salaries as well as the fuel and upkeep for the helicopter.

The helicopter that the governor uses the most costs $1,200 an hour to operate — about $45,000 for five months of church visits.

Jindal has continued to visit churches since the time covered in the records from State Police, including a trip to Rayville in Richland Parish last week.

The Governor’s Office refuses to disclose to the media ahead of time where Jindal will attend services. But a video posted on the Internet last year gives a glimpse into the Catholic governor’s visits to Protestant churches in North Louisiana.

In the video, Jindal addresses a congregation identified as New Chapel Hill Baptist Church on a stage decorated to look like a beach with a surfboard and Adirondackstyle chairs. The governor opens with a few quips from the campaign trail, including a riff about popular culture and Paris Hilton. He relates a story about military heroes before talking about his conversion to Christianity.

Jindal said it was a video about Christ’s death that spoke to him.

“It just hit me. How arrogant  to do anything but to get on my knees and worship him. It was as simple as that,” he said.