CA insurance boss found to have spent campaign cash on lavish meals and world travel

https://abc7news.com/post/ca-insurance-commissioners-attendance-record-in-question/16045912/

Bogotá and Paris? CA insurance boss takes series of taxpayer-funded trips, raising concerns

Turns out, Commissioner Lara was at a conference in Bermuda with insurance executives in mid-March to give a 15-minute speech. Records show Lara did the same thing in March of last year, missing another key Assembly insurance hearing -- also while on the islands of Bermuda.

However, two months after missing the March 2024 hearing, the Commissioner was able to make a "Legislative Study Tour" in the United Kingdom for eight days. And he wasn't late for a "Climate Presentation" to the Central Bank of Uruguay later that month. And he didn't miss his flight to Honolulu the following week for a "policy training." Public records show taxpayers picked up his four-star hotel bill.

7 On Your Side's Stephanie Sierra investigated hundreds of public records dating back to 2019 that detail a pattern of international trips at various luxury hotels. Our team found Lara's been absent for at least seven other state insurance hearings since assuming office because he was either traveling abroad, cross-country, or chose not to attend.

For example, expense reports show during his first year in office in 2019, Commissioner Lara missed two insurance hearings while he was traveling to Washington, D.C. and Florida for conferences. In between those trips, he took a $6,000 trip to Paris for an "Economic Development Conference." Taxpayers picked up that bill.

https://abc7news.com/post/calif-insurance-commissioner-found-have-spent-30k-lavish-meals-according-sf-standard/16157716/

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- Just weeks after 7 On Your Side revealed California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara's extensive travel during his time in office, ABC7's media partner The San Francisco Standard has released their own investigation into the commissioner's spending on expensive restaurants - to the tune of nearly $30,000.

Critics' complaints about the lavish meals are multifaceted: Commissioner Lara shared some of these meals with insurance industry bigwigs, who represent the very companies the Department of Insurance is meant to regulate - and at a time when insurance companies are canceling coverage and ceasing new business in the state.

In addition, Lara appeared to be covering the hefty bills at least in part with money from campaign funds from a long-dormant run for lieutenant governor. Per The Standard, Lara has never formally announced a campaign for the position, nor has he taken the steps necessary for a viable campaign. Yet one-third of these dinners were categorized as "campaign meetings."

"It sounds like he's mixing regulation and politics once more," Consumer Watchdog executive director Carmen Balber told The Standard. "Maybe 'shocker' is the wrong word, but it's disappointing. And if this wasn't a campaign meeting, then what is this campaign committee? Nothing more than a slush fund."