Nonini, Barbieri Lead Spending For Travel

State Rep. Vito Barbieri talks to reporters in this Associated Press file photo.

Idaho taxpayers footed a bill of nearly $250,000 to cover expenses for lawmakers traveling to and from Boise during the 2015 legislative session and another $50,000 for them to travel outside the state over the past fiscal year. The records for all 105 members of the state House and Senate were obtained by The Associated Press through a public records request. Republican Sen. Bob Nonini from Coeur d’Alene received the most in-state travel reimbursements of any lawmaker — nearly $8,800 between December 2014 and April 2015. In the House, Republican Rep. Vito Barbieri — a conservative three-term legislator also from northern Idaho— racked up the highest combined in-state and out-of-state tab of $9,689/ Kimberlee Kruesi , Associated Press. More here.

Question: Why do you suppose Bob & Vito are spending so much of taxpayers’ money traveling around the state and the country?