Records suggest Gov. Youngkin took Altria’s jet for Republican National Convention trip

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) – Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin may have taken private jets owned by Altria and another company to the Republican National Convention last week, flight and campaign finance records suggest.

Gov. Youngkin’s Spirit of Virginia PAC reported two in-kind contributions for “aviation services” on July 15 from Altria Client Services LLC valued at just over $57,000 and Smith, Vicars and Company LLC valued at $10,000 .

Online flight records show jets owned by both companies traveling from Virginia to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on July 14 and July 15. Both companies have provided flight services to Youngkin’s PAC in the past, records show .

The flight-tracking website ADS-B Exchange shows trips Altria’s jet took from Richmond to Milwaukee on July 14 and July 15 . A plane owned by Smith, Vicars and Company LLC made a journey from Richmond to Milwaukee on July 15, per FlightAware .

Spokespeople for Youngkin’s PAC and Altria did not confirm that Youngkin was on the plane or answer questions on whether any Altria executives or board members were on board.

“Spirit of Virginia PAC discloses all contributions in accordance with both Virginia’s campaign finance and ethics disclosure laws. The Governor does not use taxpayer resources for political travel,” Spirit of Virginia PAC spokesman Justin Discigil wrote in an email.

A spokesperson for Altria, David Sutton, told 8News in a statement that the flight was provided to “individuals connected with the Spirit of Virginia PAC, in compliance with both Virginia and federal requirements.”

“The in-kind contribution covers the fair market value of the flight, as the Spirit of Virginia was hosting events during the RNC,” Sutton added.

8News called the offices of Smith, Vicars and Company LLC, and was told it had “no comment” for this story.

Altria, a Richmond-based corporation that owns Philip Morris USA and is the maker of Marlboro cigarettes, has given millions in political contributions to Virginia candidates, campaigns and caucuses.

Per the Virginia Public Access Project , it has several lobbyists employed and on retainer and has doled out nearly $9.5 million in political donations since 1996, including $3.6 million to Democrats and nearly $5.7 million.

Getting around on privately funded flights is not new or illegal in Virginia, which has lax campaign finance laws that allow lawmakers to use campaign cash on vacations, hotel stays, dinners and more.

Altria has also provided flights to Democrats Terry McAuliffe and Mark Warner during their gubernatorial campaigns. Other former Virginia governors – including Democrat Ralph Northam and Republican Bob McDonnell – have had airfare provided to them.

“Rob Damschen, Lee Jackson, and I traveled to Milwaukee for the RNC convention,” Youngkin’s Press Secretary Christian Martinez said in a statement. “The three of us took personal time off, traveled on our own, and we did not travel with the Governor.”

Martinez said he could not confirm whether Youngkin flew on the planes from Altria or Smith, Vicars and Company LLC. Damschen is Youngkin’s director of communications and Jackson is on the governor’s staff.

Richard J. Meagher, a professor of political science at Randolph-Macon College, said campaign finance laws are loose in other states but that it’s “particularly bad in Virginia.” He said Youngkin is apparently “doing it the right way” by not using taxpayer money to get to the RNC.

“But he could have funded it himself,” Meagher said in a phone interview.

Altria, like Dominion Energy, is “so influential” in Virginia politics because of its “wealth and power,” Meagher said.

“The rules should make it harder for companies like Altria from having access to politicians,” Meagher told 8News. “But if our rules are not preventing that, the level of access these companies can have is something most of us can’t dream of.”

Legislation requiring manufacturers of liquid nicotine or nicotine vapor products to certify they have received FDA authorization for their product passed this year. The bills that passed, which an Altria spokesperson said was a “common sense solution,” aim to help prevent underage vaping.

Youngkin recommended delaying deadlines set out in the legislation for manufacturers to get FDA approval from December 2024 to 2025, changes that state lawmakers overwhelmingly approved .

NJOY, a company owned by Altria, received FDA authorization for menthol e-vapor products and the Virginia Mercury reported that Altria is the only company with FDA-authorized vape products .

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