Outgoing Kentucky Democratic Gov. Steve Beshear took 33 out-of-state trips during his eight-year term for a total cost to taxpayers of nearly $500,000.
Beshear went to Germany and Japan six times each to recruit businesses, along with three trips to India. In total, Beshear visited 18 countries and spent 154 days on the road, according to information obtained by The Associated Press through an open records request.
The costs do not include Beshear's security details. Those costs were paid for by the Kentucky State Police. Beshear was most often accompanied by former Economic Development Secretary Larry Hayes and a revolving cast of state officials and contractors. First Lady Jane Beshear traveled on 10 trips, all of them to international destinations. Taxpayers paid for her expenses in all but three of those trips.
