When North Carolina Congressman Greg Murphy sent a stern letter to NYU Langone Health’s CEO, Dr. Robert Grossman, questioning the hospital’s decision to spend an estimated $8 million on a 30-second Super Bowl ad, it seemed like a simple case of a lawmaker holding a hospital accountable for its finances.

However, just eight days later, Representative Murphy sent a follow-up letter that was remarkably different. Gone was the criticism, instead replaced by ardent adoration for NYU Langone’s “world-class patient outcomes” and “superb” metrics.

What could have caused such a sudden change of heart?

As it turns out, a private jet owned by Kenneth G. Langone, the billionaire benefactor of NYU Langone and major Republican donor, landed at the airport in Representative Murphy’s hometown of Greenville, North Carolina, just two days before the second letter was sent.

While it is not confirmed who was on the plane, it is suspicious that Langone’s private jet was at the sleepy Greenville airport for 2 hours, a destination it had never been to before and has not returned to since.

This raises serious questions about the influence of wealthy hospital donors on lawmakers and the lack of transparency in hospital finances. As a tax-exempt hospital, NYU Langone receives federal funds and is expected to prioritize patient care over profits. Rep. Murphy’s team refused to answer any questions about the meeting between the member and Langone, just that all “his “questions [were] thoroughly answered.”

Tax-exempt hospitals constantly get away with superfluous spending and a behind the scenes deal shouldn’t stop politicians from holding their feet to the fire. Better Solutions believes that hospitals need to be transparent about their finances and lawmakers should hold them accountable for their spending.