Gary D. Robertson
The Associated Press

Two cultural exchange trips to Europe by first lady Mary Easley and others incurred nearly $46,000 in "unreasonable and excessive expenses" as taxpayers footed the bill for items such as caviar and ballet tickets, State Auditor Les Merritt said Thursday.

The Department of Cultural Resources said Easley traveled to France in May 2007 and Estonia and Russia in May 2008 as part of efforts to recruit art exhibits to North Carolina.
Merritt said the traveling parties overspent and wasted state money by having a chauffeur-driven luxury car in France for the first lady that cost $27,000. They also paid $1,170 for tickets to Russia's Marinsky Ballet and Opera and stayed in a five-star hotel.
The hotel rooms cost on average $955 per person per night in St. Petersburg, Russia, while a lunchtime caviar cocktail there cost $332, according to Merritt. During the trip to France, Easley's former executive assistant expensed to the state a "Meal for 4" for $227.50 that actually turned out to be a linen jacket purchased at a boutique. (more…)