More high-class Easley travels
The News & Observer reports today:
"North Carolina's first lady, Mary Easley, visited some of the finest museums in France and St. Petersburg, Russia, during the past 14 months. She and entourages dined at first-class restaurants, slept in top-notch hotels and sat in the fifth row for a Russian ballet. The travels -- a 2007 trip to France and one to Russia and Estonia in May -- cost taxpayers $109,000.
"Gov. Mike Easley did not go on either trip, and neither was publicly disclosed at the time. Mary Easley did not respond to requests for an interview, but expense reports and other documents released in response to a public records request indicate the trips were considered cultural exchanges to build links between North Carolina and officials in the countries visited. The trips have so far produced no tangible benefits."
Good grief.
I tried to give Gov. Easley the benefit of the doubt for his recent first-class trip to Italy because it had a legitimate business purpose, even though he (and Mrs. Easley) spent too much.
But this is way over the top.
Note that her trips were not publicly disclosed. The governor's office apparently wanted no one to know. The Italy trip was publicized by the governor's office. Commerce officials went along. Despite the extravagant spending, it was on the up-and-up.
The supposed reason for Mrs. Easley's travels was "cultural exchange." That's a catch-all excuse that could justify any junket. These sounded more like currency exchanges -- a lot of North Carolina taxpayer dollars being exchanged for luxurious lodging, dining and entertainment for Mrs. Easley.
Where cultural exchange is needed is in our state capital. It's time to exchange the culture of arrogance, the attitude that political leaders can do whatever they want, for a culture of restraint and accountability.
Addendum: U.S. Ambassador to Estonia Dave Phillips from High Point hosted a reception for Mrs. Easley. Photos here.
Comments (15)
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I believe that the Governor and his wife should be forced to travel to each school in the state and share their travel experiences to compensate for educational materials their expenditures would covered.
They should do this after the Governor's term and on his own expenses, since the state helicopter will no longer be at his beck and call.
Posted on July 1, 2008 10:03 AM
I would endorse that idea. It would also give Mr. Easley the chance to meet some North Carolinians.
Posted on July 1, 2008 10:54 AM
We have our own Marie Antoinette!
Posted on July 1, 2008 10:58 AM
We have our own Marie Antoinette!
Posted on July 1, 2008 10:59 AM
Note that her trips were not publicly disclosed. The governor's office apparently wanted no one to know* Doug
Let the Govern and his first Lady eat gas prices with a revoke state credit card.......
Posted on July 1, 2008 11:46 AM
According to another report on this, the "cultural exchanges" are important to foster relationships with leaders of art exhibits. Supposedly, these trips played a key role in bringing the Monet exhibit to NC.
With that being said, I still think the price tags are exhorbitant.
Posted on July 1, 2008 1:55 PM
I defended him a little bit too, Doug. Now that this has been released, it has gotten a little ridiculous. If I was a State employee that was recently laid off, I'd be more than a little angry - those two trips alone would've funded a $50k salary for nearly 5 years!
Posted on July 1, 2008 2:06 PM
The Monet exhibit came and went before Mrs. Easley's trip to Paris last year:
http://www.ncartmuseum.org/monet/
In this UNC-TV interview, the director of the N.C. Museum of Art makes no mention of any role by Mrs. Easley:
http://www.unctv.org/monet/wheeler_interview.html
Posted on July 1, 2008 2:07 PM
Has anybody asked the question if Gov Easley might actually be working for The CIA, or at the very least the GBPD's special investigations unit, and the galavanting at taxpayer expense may all be a cover . He maybe our very own International Man of Mystery and we'll never really know what he's done and the sacrifices he's made in the name of democracy, like sleeping with Carla Brunei etc. in exchange for inside info on how the French socialist system works etc. or something like that.
Posted on July 1, 2008 2:19 PM
That would explain all the blank pages on his public calendar.
Posted on July 1, 2008 2:25 PM
Are embezzlement, and misuse of taxpayer funds crimes! Isn't Easley a law and order guy? Doesn't he support the death penalty? Is there a corruption "gene" that infects politicians? Is it there at birth which forces them into politics, or do they inherit it upon their election. We know it is a very powerful, insidious force!
Posted on July 1, 2008 2:39 PM
Tony, there's no alleged embezzlement here.
Posted on July 1, 2008 3:00 PM
What is illegaly using someones else's money, but hiding the reasons for the usage? At best, it's illegal to use our tax money for personal reasons, and trying to cover it up as state business.
Posted on July 1, 2008 6:08 PM
What's illegal would have to be determined in court, not by opinions expressed here. What you describe would not amount to a matter of embezzlement under any circumstances.
Posted on July 1, 2008 10:22 PM
Tony, do you not know that anything a democrat does in this state is ok unless the feds get involved. Just look at the Duke case. Better still read the book Until Proven Innocent, if you have the stomach for what democrats in this state do, and how the liberal media, marches in lock step with the good ole boys in Raleigh. They were willing to send this men to prison for years, just to secure votes for democrats. Ant idiot should have know, no more than 5 days after the arrest, that these men were being railroaded by the democrats in this state. I can find nowhere the media in NC, printed anything about this until after the election. The Yankee press ( did not include New York Times) where all over this after the 3rd day. Men's lives destroyed for ever for a few votes. To this day no one involved has received any punishment. Forget the one day in jail for Nifong, there is questions that he was never behind bars. The good news there may be a movie Trial By Press, maybe some folks we know may be in it. To be fair ( I all ways am), I think Doug Clark* was the first person to print that one of the Duke men , had plenty of proof he was innocent. He was at a ATM machine during the time line that Nifong invented. * In the Carolina media. Tony please also notice hat Easley has been up to his eyes in crap, since day one, and now that is time is up, it makes news? Bye nearly tee times. Have a good day. Guess we will be home for the 4th, seems Nancy's plan the democrats had for common sense to lower gas prices has failed. Do not seem to read much about this now, was red hot in the press prior to the 2006 election.
Posted on July 2, 2008 6:13 AM