Perry Charges Taxpayers For Campaign Expenses

And he thinks he's a fiscal conservative?
At the beginning of his ill-fated--and it will be ill-fated because he'll never win--run for the White House, Texas Governor Ricky Perry went to California to raise money and appear in his first debate.
And he spent more than $32,000 in taxpayer money for travel and lodging in San Francisco, $4,400 to dine near the Ronald Reagan Library and Museum in Simi Valley, and another $6,400 for plane tickets to San Diego.
Paid for by the good people of Texas.
And that was when he was on a high, as far as public opinion polls went. Now, as he barely scrapes by with a 6% popularity rating, Perry continues to spend taxpayer money to run around and campaign, as much as $400,000 a month.
Aside from President Obama, Perry--the only sitting governor in the 2012 race--has the largest security contingent, and the only one on the Republican side financed by taxpayers.
Perry says it's completely appropriate for the Texas Department of Public Safety to pay for his security and called any criticism of his government-provided protection a “diversion,” saying that Texans benefit from his travels: “I’m going to be promoting Texas.”
No, missy, you're trying to promote Rick Perry to the office of president.
Texas state Representative, and Democrat, Jessica Farrar, believes Perry’s travels have been more of a black eye for Texas than a benefit, and while she feels Ricky deserves to have state-provided security said he should use some of the $17 million he has reported raising for his campaign to help defray the costs.
“If he’s promoting Texas, he’s been an embarrassment,” Farrar said. “He could have paid for this out of campaign funds, especially given that he’s asked the Texas taxpayers to tighten their belts."
They tighten their belts so he can spend $400,000 a month to travel.


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