Here’s the deal.

The Secret Service reimburses presidential candidates for the expense of their protective agents flying with the candidate.  For example, Hillary Clinton’s campaign has been reimbursed $2.6 million so far this election cycle for expense of the flights for her agents.

On the other hand, Donald Trump’s campaign has only been reimbursed $1.6 million, mainly because he qualified for protection later than she did.  However, every dime of that money went to a company owned by … I don’t have to tell you, do I?

The difference with Trump is that one of his companies, TAG Air, Inc., owns the plane, so the government is effectively paying him.

The Clinton campaign, by contrast, mostly has been chartering planes from a private company called Executive Fliteways in which the Clintons do not have any ownership interest.

“The taxpayers are actually reimbursing Trump for the travel of the Secret Service agents,” said Brett Kappel, a campaign finance lawyer at the law firm Akerman LLP. “It’s just another example of how the Trump campaign has taken an unprecedentedly large amount of its money and spent it at Trump-owned facilities.”

Just another example.  We know the agents stay in Trump hotels and eat at Trump restaurants and that is paid directly by the Secret Service.

So when he said he might be the first candidate tomato money off running for President, he wasn’t kidding.

Thanks to Portman for the heads up.