SC governor responds to criticism of European trip

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley is defending a $127,000 economic development trip to Paris and Munich that critics have criticized as an expensive taxpayer funded vacation.

The Post and Courier of Charleston was first to report details of a June trip to the Paris Air Show that included renting a chalet for events and expensive hotel rooms. Haley’s office had little response to questions about spending initially.

Haley defends the trip in an opinion piece the newspaper published Wednesday (http://bit.ly/ngQb92 ) as a chance to show off the state and plant seeds for future business deals.

Haley says taxpayers saved money because BMW picked up the tab for most of the travel in Europe and state economic development groups picked up part of the costs.

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Information from: The Post and Courier, http://www.postandcourier.com