Former Gov. Deval Patrick spared no expense in his $1.4 million around-the-world travels: five-star hotels, pricey meals, armored cars and translators — while repeatedly misleading the public about the cost and funding of the trips, a Herald review of
records shows.
From a luxury hotel in Mexico City touted for its “chic opulence” to a five-star Tokyo hotel rated as one of the top high-end destinations in Japan, Patrick’s trade mission entourage racked up tens of thousands of dollars in room tabs in each city, all charged to an undisclosed taxpayer-funded trust, according to records.
The Herald first disclosed the hidden trust funds, stockpiled with millions in public money from quasi-public agencies, that paid all of the trade mission costs, as well as a $20 million boost in tourism promotion. Legislative leaders have said they were unaware of the trusts.
Records from those trusts obtained by the Herald reveal the governor’s trip to Asia in 2013 included a stay at Hong Kong’s JW Marriott, a five-star luxury hotel with breathtaking views of the city, for which Massachusetts taxpayers footed the more than $15,000 bill.
The publicly funded trust also paid the $34,000 tab for the delegation at the five-star Hilton Conrad Tokyo — boasting a Japanese spa and on-site wedding chapel — and more than $12,000 for a translator and interpreter.
In Israel, Patrick’s group spent $2,680 for an “armored car,” according to records.
The governor’s entourage also opted for luxury, over-budget
accommodations in Singapore, staying at the Regent Four Seasons — rated five stars, of course — and amassing nearly $22,000 in charges. Those costs included a $775 tab at the Regent Club Floor, with executive suites and conference rooms for the “discerning business traveler,” according to the hotel website.
On a quick stop in Kyoto, Patrick’s group bit the bullet and went downscale, staying at the four-star Grand Prince Hotel and racking up $2,000 in charges.
But in Mexico City last year, Patrick’s entourage stepped up again to the five-star level, staying at the Marquis Reforma Hotel and Spa, which boasts touches such as Art Deco-inspired rooms. The room charges
for individuals on the trade mission ranged from $734 to $1,889, but incomplete records compiled by Patrick’s
office don’t indicate for how many nights.
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