State legislators take hundreds of free trips to vacation hot spots

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St Thomas US Virgin Islands
Image via WCVB 5

– News from elsewhere covered by Quincy Quarry News with commentary added.

 

Some question how lawmaker travel paid for by private groups benefits Massachusetts.

 

“There’s never a (trip to, ed.) Hoboken, New Jersey.”

 

“It’s always these lush, great destinations they’re going to.”

 

Generous Special Interests
A ThePeoplesVoice.org image

From Miami Beach to Saint Thomas and Switzerland to Taiwan, state legislators are flying both across the country as well as around the globe for free care of generous special interests.

 

Some question how state legislators traveling on all but invariably luxurious junkets paid for by private groups benefits Massachusetts.

 

To see who all have been racking up frequent flyer miles, check out the available records here.

 

For but one example, long controversial State Senator Marc Pacheco has taken 28 trips since 2014.

 

When asked to discuss his frequent free trips, Pacheco’s communications director sent out an email which said the senator “is proud of the work” related to his “appointments (on committees, ed.) and Senate responsibilities.

 

A backdoor man …
A WCVB 5 image

Subsequently, WCVB’s Team 5 Investigates showed up at a State House hearing Senator Pacheco was attending recently to ask about his busy travel schedule.

 

Senator Pacheco, however, quickly through a back door which was blocked from public use.

 

Perhaps he was in a rush to catch a flight heading out of Logan.

Source: State legislators take hundreds of free trips to vacation hot spots

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