Trip Expenses For Gov. Martinez’s Security Surpasses $22K

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Gov. Susana Martinez's personal expenses for political trips cost New Mexico less than $3,500 during the first five months of this year. But records show taxpayers paid more than six times that amount to cover the cost of her security detail on the trips. The Santa Fe New Mexican reports (http://bit.ly/2bqHeOB) that the state spent $22,863 for the transportation, hotels and food of state police officers assigned to protect the governor. The newspaper tallied the costs of the trips based off documents obtained through a public records request. Martinez, the nation's only Latina governor, remains a high-profile figure within the GOP. As RGA chairwoman, she traveled to Washington, New York, Florida and other states this year. She also stumped for U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio in Kansas before he dropped out of GOP presidential primary in March.