Oklahoma State Lawmakers Travel on OUR Dime

California, Philadelphia, Washington DC, Arizona, North Carolina, Georgia, even Cuba and Canada are just some of the places Oklhoma Lawmakers went using our money. Lawmakers spent $1.5 million on travel, more than $155,000 to go out of state.

Senator Brian Bingman (R)

was one of the biggest spenders.

He filed travel claims for $7,661.33 worth of Energy Council conferences. Two of the trips were to Canada.

"It's quite an honor to, you know, represent my state," Bingman said. "We make recommendations, talk about policy that affects our state, other states and we send statements to the federal government, work with them you know, on energy policy."

In 2009, Bingman was the vice chairman of the group of energy producing states and Canadian provinces. He went on two trips while state revenue was down and two trips while state agencies faced a 5 percent cut.

When asked to tell about something he's done specifically after going to these conferences that people could see the benefit of, he said, "Uh, there's probably, I'd have to think about that."

Sen Charles Wyrick (D) traveled to Cuba in December of 2008 with the State Secretary of Agriculture and seven other people. The state paid for three people's trips, including Wyrick's $2,232.92 share.

"If you're trying to be critical of why I went, I think it's obvious why we went," said Senator Charles Wyrick.

Senator Earl Garrison's (D) trip to the National Conference of State Legislators Summit in Philadelphia, last July. The conference suggested 15 hotels but, Garrison chose to stay at the most expensive one, the Ritz Carlton.