AMES, Iowa (AP) - Iowa State University has released a redacted document that President Steven Leath says supports his use of a school plane for a largely personal North Carolina trip.
Leath flew the Cirrus SR-22 on the five-day August trip to his Jefferson, North Carolina home. He reimbursed ISU for flight costs, acknowledging the personal element.
But Leath has claimed he planned a donor visit and so the plane use had a business purpose, as required by law.
A Board of Regents audit report last month said that a “written communication exchange” showed the donor cancelled the meeting the day it was scheduled. The Associated Press requested the exchange six weeks ago.
Iowa State responded Thursday that the communication was a text message received on Leath’s personal cell phone and is no longer available. But ISU released a November email from Leath to an assistant that it said contains the message’s content.
Leath’s email quotes the unidentified donor as texting “we just had a little emergency and have to head back to”. The rest is redacted. No date’s given.
A board spokesman says auditors viewed the message on Leath’s phone.
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