Newly released documents reveal former Maine Gov. Paul LePage used taxpayer money to fund his many out-of-state trips in 2018, according to the Portland Press Herald. Unlike previous Maine governors, LePage was secretive about his whereabouts and didn’t release his daily or weekly schedule.
In total, LePage spent at least 80 days out of the state. He spent close to half of these days at his residence in Florida. The former governor also traveled to Washington five times to meet with Trump Administration officials, even staying at Trump International Hotel during a September visit. That stay cost Mainers $22,000, reports the Press Herald.
There were also international trips. LePage traveled to Montenegro on a foreign policy mission, meeting with top officials including the president of the tiny Balkan country. This trip, paid for by the Maine Department of Economic and Community Development, cost $33,000.
LePage spent time in Canada meeting with officials to discuss lumber imports. He also went to Canada for meetings with energy executives. He visited Spain to meet with executives of the same multinational corporation.
LePage spent further time in Texas, Colorado and Arizona throughout the year. There were also mysterious trips where the governor’s location was unspecified.
The Portland Press Herald obtained LePage’s schedule four months after requesting it from the current Gov. Janet Mills’ administration.
