GOP lawmaker's 'secret helicopter' could cost him big after complaint is filed

Republican Rep. Rob Bresnahan, who represents Pennsylvania's poorest district, is under fire again for allegedly owning a “secret helicopter,” which, according to a new complaint filed by End Citizens United, he illegally left off of his financial disclosure reports.

“The helicopter, despite efforts by Rep. Bresnahan to obscure the whereabouts of the helicopter by blocking public access to the helicopter’s travel history on several flight tracking websites, has made over twenty flights, including to New Jersey, New York and Rhode Island,” the complaint reads, filed Wednesday and delivered to the U.S. House Office of Congressional Conduct.

“The helicopter made regular flights around Bresnahan’s district during the lead-up to the November 2024 General Election, and has, on at least three instances since May 2025, flown out of Pennsylvania. If any of these trips were for campaign related purposes, Rep. Bresnahan’s failure to report the in-kind contributions would be a violation of campaign finance laws.”

Bresnahan’s alleged helicopter was first reported on in early August by NOTUS, and was found to be a 2024 Robinson R66 that retails for between $1 million and $1.5 million. His spokesperson immediately denied any wrongdoing, and so too did his attorney according to a report from NOTUS on Thursday, calling the allegations that he violated federal law “defamatory” and “egregious.”

Yet despite Bresnahan’s denial of any wrongdoing, even some of his Republican colleagues are privately conceding that his conduct, particularly when it came to questionable stock trades, could prove to be an electoral liability for the GOP, especially considering Bresnahan represents a swing district in purple Pennsylvania.

Democrats are already seizing on the opportunity to weaponize Bresnahan’s own conduct against him, with a six-figure ad campaign against the freshman lawmaker well underway from the advocacy group NRDC Action Fund.

The complaint from End Citizens United requests of the Office of Congressional conduct a full investigation into Bresnahan’s alleged failure to disclose ownership of the helicopter. As of Thursday, the organization has yet to receive a response.