Last month, 14 Arizona lawmakers took a free trip to Germany as part of a new, $750,000 Arizona House of Representatives international relations program that will fund more such trips over the next few years.
to Taiwan and the Republic of Korea in late August to"strengthen" relations even further with the countries.
The lawmakers"acted as diplomats for the state of Arizona" and had meetings"almost every day," he said."I didn't want to make it just a junket kind of thing." The group traveled to Berlin on Aug. 26, where they with with U.S. embassy officials for an hour before a reception with hors d'oeuvres, followed by dinner. After a free weekend in Berlin, the group met for an hour with the Federal Foreign Office before taking a train back to Frankfurt.
Wilmeth said he"fundraised like crazy" to try and defer costs to the state for the Germany trip. He views paying for the excursion is no different than when lobbyists fund other activities, like paying for a dinner. That doesn't mean lawmakers are beholden to the sponsors, he said, adding that he doesn't change his votes as a lawmaker just because someone might buy a"steak dinner" or pay for a trip.
Meghaen Dell’Artino, owner of Public Policy Partners, said she helped sponsor the Germany portion and doesn't even know which lawmakers went. When Wilmeth pitched her for it, she thought of a diplomatic visit to Vietnam she took as part of an American Council for Young Political Leaders program that she found truly"eye-opening."The Greater Chamber of Phoenix put $5,000 toward the trip, said the group's president and CEO, Todd Sanders.