Thankfully, we are not not going to have to put up with stuff like this in NC for too much longer, since Mike cannot run again. Unfortunately, he has over 6 months in office to pull more shenanigans like this: WRAL – NC governor defends wife’s taxpayer-funded trips (this should be good!)
Gov. Mike Easley on Tuesday defended overseas cultural exchange trips led by his wife that cost taxpayers $109,000, saying such visits can reap exponentially larger monetary rewards for the state with art exhibits.
Mary Easley, an executive assistant and a Highway Patrol trooper traveled to France in May 2007, while the first lady and state arts leaders also went to Russia and Estonia in May this year.
For the France trip, taxpayers paid more than $27,000 for the chauffeured Mercedes sport utility vehicle that Mary Easley used, according to The News & Observer of Raleigh, which first reported on the expenses.
Another $8,900 was paid to the first lady, the assistant and a state highway patrol trooper, who provided security, to stay in a hotel and participate in a Monet-themed tour.
For the Estonia and Russian trip, business-class airfare for five people traveling cost more than $34,000, the newspaper reported. In St. Petersburg, Russia, the group stayed in an $800-a-night hotel and had ballet tickets that cost about $1,100.
But, hey, it is for art!!!!!
Granted, I very much enjoyed the Monet exhibit here in Raleigh last year, but, $109k worth? How much revenue did the state art exhibits raise, Mikey?
A taxpayer-funded trip to Italy taken by the Easleys, state commerce officials and others in April cost more than $170,000. Easley said the trip was designed to attract Italian residents and companies to come to North Carolina.
Could you let us know how many Italian residents and companies were attracted to NC? We need some hard facts and figures, Mike.
Understandably, the NC GOP tee’d off on Gov. Mikey for wasting tax payer money on frivilous trips while citizens couldn’t take trips themselves because of high gas prices.
[…] than Ben was? Pfft. That whole "electricity" thing was highly overrated anyway. Big h/t William Teach, who actually has to live with the utter brilliance that is North Carolina governance. (Spoken as […]
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