California’s insurance commissioner has been accused of taking extravagant trips on the taxpayers’ dime.
Newsweek and other outlets, citing a report from local media in San Francisco, explained that Ricardo Lara “spent thousands of dollars of taxpayers’ money on trips bearing little relation to the insurance industry.”
Insurance Business added that Lara “embarked on at least 48 trips since 2019, with unclear or undocumented business justifications for many of them.”
“Records obtained show taxpayers covered significant expenses, including five-star hotels, luxury transportation, and upgraded flights,” Insurance Business detailed.
Deputy Insurance Commissioner Michael Soller told KTLA that Lara’s trips were important for his duties, and reports to the contrary are missing context, leading to “incomplete reporting” and and article that “contains numerous false claims.”
“By working with fellow state commissioners and leading national and international delegations, he is advancing strong, coordinated regulation that protects California consumers and safeguards the integrity of our insurance marketplace,” Soller said.
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