WH Says They Had No Role in GM's Use of Private Jets

The Treasury Department and White House said they had no role in General Motors Co.'s decision to use chartered planes to ferry executives to and from meetings as it sells its public offering to investors.

GM's expense policy, approved in early 2009 by the Obama administration, allows the Detroit automaker to rent planes, and it explains GM's internal process for determining if that is appropriate.

The Treasury Department doesn't approve renting planes on a case-by-case basis.

White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said it was "not accurate" to say that the government approved GM's decision to use private jets.