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A recent trip by Gov. Kathleen Sebelius to a conference in Istanbul, Turkey, is being blasted by the Kansas Taxpayers Network as a waste of taxpayer dollars.
"This is an example of dubious spending that is all too common at all levels of government today," said Karl Peterjohn, executive director of the network.
But Sebelius' office said the expenses were justified because she attended the conference in her capacity as governor.
Governor Kathleen Sebelius
Sebelius was invited to the Bilderberg Group meetings in June. Delegates included politicians and leaders from around the world who participated in discussions on public policy.
The Bilderberg conference covered Sebelius' travel expenses of $3,914, while Kansas taxpayers paid for her meals and lodging, which totaled $1,274, according to Sebelius' office.
At the meeting, Sebelius, a Democrat, and Texas Gov. Rick Perry, a Republican, made a presentation on the interaction between states and the federal government, Sebelius' office said.
"Last time I checked, a bipartisan discussion on how states and the federal government can better interact is a good thing," said Sebelius spokeswoman Nicole Corcoran.
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Comments
KansasMeadowlark (anonymous) says...
Where's the reporting that the Gov. of Texas paid for the trip from his Political Action Committee, "Texans for Rick Perry".
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=14c_11...
Gov. Sebelius has her own PAC, The Bluestem Fund, and only has $81,441.20 in the bank -- see http://ethics.ks.gov/ElecCycle2006/20....
According to this link
http://www.nexusmagazine.com/articles...
"Although participants emphatically attest that they attend the Club's annual meeting as private citizens and not in their official government capacity, that affirmation is dubious-particularly when you compare the Chatham House Rule with the Logan Act in the United States, where it is absolutely illegal for elected officials to meet in private with influential business executives to debate and design public policy."
So if Sebelius attended this meeting officially as a "private citizen" (to avoid breaking federal laws) and was not in her "official government capacity", why doesn't she pay for the trip with her PAC money instead of having Kansas taxpayers foot the bill? Why doesn't Sebelius follow Gov. Perry's lead?
Why did the Kansas press beat up on Connie Morrison from the State Board of Ed for her out-of-state trips, but is applying some other "rule" to Gov. Sebelius?
For more info see
http://web.saljournal.com/blogs/?p=1884
Gov. Sebelius attended meeting with world leaders in Istanbul, Turkey in early June
August 31, 2007 at 7:53 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
situveux1 (anonymous) says...
Well, if she did attend in her official capacity, as stated above, then didn't she break the law????
September 1, 2007 at 12:57 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )