Two of Scott Walker’s international trips this year cost taxpayers $147,000

Newly released records show two of Republican Gov. Scott Walker’sinternational trips this year cost state taxpayers nearly $147,000.

Records the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation released late Friday afternoon show Walker’s trade mission to Europe in April cost $117,300. His trade mission to Canada in June cost $29,470.

Expenses on both trips included hotels, transportation, parking, telecommunications, hospitality gifts, networking events and meals.

Meanwhile, Walker has said he’d repay more than $125,000 in travel costs in the first half of the year as he traveled extensively during his failed bid for the Republican presidential nomination.

Groups connected to Walker have repaid about $58,000 and have said they will reimburse taxpayers for the remaining roughly $67,000, the newspaper said. Our American Revival, the political committee Walker formed last year, is repaying the costs.

Walker promised early last year to cover travel costs for his security detail, but did not take action until the public became aware of the costs.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported Walker’s campaign security costs from records acquired under the state’s open records request law, a law that Walker and the state’s Republican leadership conspired to eliminate in June. The GOP is still trying to scale back the law to limit information that the public can obtain about the activities of elected officials.

Republicans are also working to eliminate government watchdog and information-collecting bureaus, as well as the state’s civil service law. Without the civil service law, politicians can reward their backers with lucrative government jobs, regardless of whether they’re qualified for the positions.