(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) Democrats seem unable to resist using taxpayers’ hard-earned money for their so-called official business trips.
District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser is the latest offender, preparing for a trip to Las Vegas under the guise of a mayoral event related to shopping centers.
The trip, scheduled from Sunday through Tuesday, is part of the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) event in Las Vegas.
The mayor’s office claims it aims to attract retail to D.C., as reported by Fox News.
Bowser’s taxpayer-funded excursion comes just days after New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, was slammed for making taxpayers foot the bill for her European trip on a supposed climate-related expedition.
In her defense, Bowser claimed, “We know that Washingtonians in every part of DC want access to fantastic amenities.”
She added, “Through programs like the Food Access Fund and the Neighborhood Prosperity Fund, we have made good progress in filling amenity gaps, but there is still more to do to ensure greater accessibility and equity – and filling those gaps and supporting the continued transformation of Downtown will be a focus of this trip.”
The ICSC event is set to take place at Wynn Las Vegas, a luxurious hotel boasting resort-like pools and a “Five-Star” award-winning reputation.
Bowser’s trip comes on the heels of Hochul’s contentious taxpayer-funded journey to Europe, where she is scheduled for a 15-minute speech at the Vatican for a climate-related conference hosted by the Pontifical Academies of Science and Social Science.
Hochul will then proceed to Ireland for the 2024 Global Economic Summit, scheduled from May 20 to May 21.
Hochul’s office attempted to justify the expenditure, stating, “Governor Hochul is traveling on official business representing the State of New York in her official capacity as Governor, and therefore State funds will be used for official business.”
The statement added, “Any costs outside normal reimbursable business expenses will be paid for by the Governor’s own personal funds.”
