Republicans call on McCaskill to release tax records for airplane

St. Louis Public Radio

Published March 22, 2011 at 5:32 p.m. CDT

Mo. Sen. Claire McCaskill in February 2011 as she outlined her quality of care survey for VA hospitals. The Missouri Republican Party has asked McCaskill to release tax records associated with her controversial personal airplane.

Republicans are attacking Senator Claire McCaskill for failing to own up to her own rhetoric about openness and accountability.

The state Republican Party is calling on McCaskill to release tax records associated with a controversial airplane at the center of a tax and accounting scandal.

Lloyd Smith is the director of the Missouri state GOP. He says the only way to know if further problems exist is to release the full tax records associated with the airplane.

"She's called for transparency time and time again-yet when its up under her own roof the only time she answers the tough questions is when reporters jerk back the curtain and expose LLC's in Delaware and LLC's in Missouri...that's when she answers the questions," Smith said.

The plane is co-owned and leased through two LLC's operated by McCaskill's husband, millionaire businessman Joseph Shepard.

McCaskill has issued a check to St. Louis County for over $290,000 in back taxes on the plane. She claims it was an oversight.

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