Jindal’s out-of-state calendar full for next week

From campaign stops to speaking engagements, Gov. Bobby Jindal’s calendar is crowded with out-of-state travel the next seven days.

Jindal kicked off his road tour in Iowa on Thursday, where he stumped for Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney. Romney is out of the country. Speculation is high among national media that Jindal is in contention to become Romney’s running mate on the GOP ticket.

The governor’s travel coincides with his administration’s work on more than $300 million in cuts to LSU hospitals, which provide health care to the poor.

On Saturday, Jindal reportedly will be in Florida, again to make an appearance for the Romney campaign.

The tony vacation community of Aspen, Colo., is on the calendar for next week. Jindal is slated to join four other Republican governors, including New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, for a speaker series at the Aspen Institute.

The glimpse at Jindal’s travel schedule comes from organizers and media reports, not from the governor himself.

The governor’s press office sends notifications about Jindal’s trips but typically not until he is in the air or on the ground in another state.

At 12:28 p.m. Thursday, the Governor’s Office publicly announced Jindal’s visit to Iowa, two minutes before the doors opened at the governor’s meet-and-greet at Iowa’s Coralville Victory Center. Lt. Gov. Jay Dardenne, who acts as governor when Jindal is temporarily absent from the state, received notice at 11:59 a.m., Jacques Berry, Dardenne’s spokesman, said.

The governor’s spokeswoman, Shannon Bates, refused Thursday to confirm appearances planned in the week ahead. “We’ll announce travel plans when they are confirmed,” she said in an e-mail.

Bates said the host pays to fly Jindal to events.

However, State Police records show that taxpayers pick up the tab for the bodyguards who accompany Jindal, the governor’s rental cars and, on occasion, the fees when his luggage weight exceeds airline allowances.

From January to May, troopers’ expenses for protecting the governor during out-of-state trips totaled $11,894.38, excluding, for the most part, airfare.

Back in January, Jindal was backing Texas Gov. Rick Perry for the Republican presidential nomination.

A campaign trip to Iowa for Perry cost Louisiana taxpayers at least $1,642.03. The expenses included meals for the governor’s bodyguards and a $10 carwash for his rental vehicle.

Jindal also made trips out of state this year for a family gathering in Florida; Washington, D.C. Mardi Gras; White House dinners; and numerous speaking engagements.

The Miami family trip was among the most expensive for Louisiana taxpayers, partly because of taxi charges, $770 in luggage expenses and $484.77-per-night hotel costs. The name of the hotel is blacked out in the records provided by State Police.

More recently, Jindal flew to Ohio, Utah, Illinois, Pennsylvania and Iowa to make campaign appearances for Romney.

The expense records for those trips are not available, said Capt. Doug Cain, spokesman for State Police.

In Iowa on Thursday, Jindal bashed President Barack Obama’s campaign and made phone calls to potential voters.

“And by the way in Louisiana, we make no apologies for clinging to our guns and religion,” the governor told Iowans according to the Des Moines Register.

On Saturday, Jindal reportedly will be in Coral Springs, Fla., to open Romney’s campaign office there.

Next week, people can pay $15 to hear Jindal and other Republican governors speak at the Aspen Institute, an educational and policy studies organization headed by New Orleans native and former TIME magazine Managing Editor Walter Isaacson.

“As a full-capacity audience is expected for this program, early ticket purchasing is encouraged,” the institute said in a press release on the event.

Mark Ballard of the Capitol news bureau contributed to this report.

Comments

1) Comment by mcBR - 27/07/2012

Why do I hear crickets from the small government people? Here's a fun thought experiment: replace Jindal with Obama and read the comments...

2) Comment by phil - 27/07/2012

Jindal who?

3) Comment by NewsReader - 27/07/2012

Romney would never pick Jindal as running mate. Or at least not if he's got any common sense. Presidential elections aren't won by running too far left or too far right. You could run a stuffed animal and the extremist from both parties would check the box for their candidate. Whether people want to admit it or not, it's the moderate undecided middle of the road voters who ultimately decide. Pick Jindal and the majority of moderate independents are simply going to endorse Obama again. Pick someone middle of the road and Romney stands a chance of appealing to many more. Pity though because I would love to see Jindal leave this state. Maybe we can get it both ways, Romney could pick a good candidate and then to reward Jindal for his stumping over the past months, he could reward him with some position in government. Preferably one that takes him out of anything that affects education, health, etc.

4) Comment by Mygulfbleedsforu - 27/07/2012

As much as it pains me, I would rather lose my state to the likes of PJ than lose more of my country to another Republican admin.

5) Comment by Lannonmac - 27/07/2012

The longer the Gov. stays away, the better it is for Louisiana! We should all hope Mitt chooses the Gov. for a running mate, that way Louisiana gets a break from his shenanigans.

6) Comment by Mygulfbleedsforu - 27/07/2012

PJ is yapping now that the only thing that matters is what is going on back home with the voters. So ... A. why is the candidate he's supporting traveling on campaign funds out of the country? B. And why is he traveling out of his state?

7) Comment by Loki - 27/07/2012

Romney's money is out of the country, too. That dude hates taxes so much, he doesn't even pay them.

8) Comment by Warp7 - 27/07/2012

Little Hitler should do us all a favor, stay out of Louisiana, don't return. But first, return to we the tax payers the funds we have expended for your personal trips out of state! We should not have to pay for your ego political trips. This is the most non-transparent Governor. Our own News Media has to find out what is going on with this governor from out side sources. Our own media/news agencies can't even get an o ther view with him. He cuts services in Louisiana and then heads out of state to pat himself on the back for what he did. What is pathetic is the the smallest voter turn out in years re-elected him.

9) Comment by lovemykids - 27/07/2012

What a waste!!! Romney is not going to choose Jindal. Our education and health care systems are falling apart and Jindal and his accessories have just made things worse. Jindal will only attract the extreme right and Romney already has their vote.

10) Comment by dineaux - 27/07/2012

What?! We pay for his security detail costs, luggage fees and other associated costs when he travels to campaign. I don't care what party or candidate he represents during these out of state trips, state taxpayers should not be held accountable for these costs. This is outrageous at a time when the state is making massive cuts to education and other vital services. Also, why are state taxpayers paying for his personal lodging when on family trips? Its ironic that Jindal is always talking about fiscal responsibility while all along lounging in a $484.77 per night hotel on taxpayers back. DISGUSTING!!!!

11) Comment by Pakistani - 27/07/2012

Romney will not be picking a Pakistani who is wasting taxpayer's money.

12) Comment by spqr - 27/07/2012

But Piyush has got the job he wants in Louisiana. That is what sells to the media.