It appears that Raleigh City Council member Mary Ann Baldwin used $1,800 of her campaign war chest to pay for an upcoming trip to China with the Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce.
Baldwin said the trip offers chances to learn about the Chinese economy and viewed the trip as an extension of her council duties.
The trip, scheduled for Oct. 24 to Nov. 1, includes nine days worth of sight-seeing, with stops at China’s Great Wall and Tiananmen Square. Harvey Schmitt, the chamber’s president, said the trip is being billed as a way for participate to familiarize themselves with China to gain a better understanding of the nation’s economy and people.
Baldwin she used $500 of her own money, in addition to the $1,799 that her campaign paid for.
"You’re kind of between a rock and a hard place," Baldwin said about the decision to use campaign funds. "You don’t want to use tax-payer money for something like that.”
Nancy McFarlane, a fellow Raleigh city council member, is also going on one of the three trips the chamber organized this fall to China.
Baldwin, a marketing consultant elected to the council in 2007, is one of five people running for the two council-at-large positions in Tuesday’s Oct. 6 municipal elections.
Comments
Big Deal??? I think not.
Wed, 09/30/2009 - 14:32 — DocJuerglerWell, whoop-dee-do! There is absolutely nothing wrong with this. This "story" sounds more like a political hack job by some of her "friends" on the Raleigh City Council. Is there an election coming up or something ;) ? I bet Ms. Baldwin still gets the most votes next week.
You should have noted that
Tue, 09/29/2009 - 19:46 — WhalerCaneYou should have noted that Nancy McFarlane is spending her own money to go on the trip.