Florida's Republican Governor Charlie Crist spent part of the summer in London, Paris, St. Petersberg and Madrid racking up a whopping $430,000 bill for Florida taxpayers.
Crist did take his fiancee along with her sister. Why the couple needed NINE bodyguards is a good question.
The 12 day trip came in at least $200,000 over budget; Crist stayed at a $2,179 a night London hotel--though that tab was picked up by Florida businessmen traveling with the governor.
The European trip came as news that the state has over a 2 billion dollar deficit.
Expenses included Crists' entourage of more than two dozen, including a photographer and nine bodyguards, who alone spent more than $148,000 on meals, hotels, transportation and incidentals. The news comes as the state budget has a roughly $2 billion deficit.
Crists' office says fostering overseas business is even more important when the economy is hurting and has been "instrumental in keeping our state from greater distress," spokeswoman Erin Isaac said in a statement e-mailed to The Associated Press on Sunday.
http://www2.tbo.com/...
Charlie may have lost out to Sarah Palin in the veep derby but I think he held his own against her in the
splurging department. These fiscal conservatives LOVE spending other people's money--especially
on themselves!
I don't think this story will play well in Florida.