It appears California’s Insurance Commissioner has taken dozens of extravagant trips around the world—justified only in part, and at the public’s expense.
California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara is facing mounting criticism after newly released records revealed that he has taken more than 48 taxpayer-funded trips since 2019, many of which involved luxury hotels, business-class flights, and high-end amenities unrelated to his core duties.
An investigation by ABC7 News found the Department of Insurance could provide verifiable business justifications for only seven of those trips, leaving questions about whether state funds were misused.
The documents detail extravagant spending, including a five-star New York hotel stay that cost taxpayers more than $11,600, which coincided with a Pride event featuring VIP rooftop access and “DJ Kitty Glitter.” The same trip included private limo service and security expenses totaling more than $9,400, according to state records reviewed by KGO-TV.
In 2023, Lara traveled to Bogotá, Colombia, to attend a conference for LGBTI political leaders. The five-day trip cost taxpayers over $24,000, including $7,000 billed as “taxi fares” that were later identified as private security charges, according to ABC7 News.
Meanwhile, a two-day insurance conference in Cape Town, South Africa, extended into a two-and-a-half-week stay at a luxury resort and safari spa, with taxpayers covering more than $33,000 for security and thousands more for hiking gear and personal excursions.
The Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) confirmed it has launched an inquiry into Lara’s travel spending, citing potential violations of California’s conflict-of-interest and ethics regulations.
Lawmakers are now calling for a full state audit to determine whether these expenses meet the legal standard of “mission-critical” travel requirements under California policy.
Assemblymember Greg Wallis, vice chair of the Assembly Insurance Committee, sharply criticized the commissioner’s lack of transparency, saying his office “could identify every single benefit that came from government travel,” a contrast to the vague justifications provided by Lara’s department.
Lara’s office maintains that his international travel helps promote California’s climate and insurance agenda and claims that all personal portions of trips were paid for privately. However, those assurances have not been substantiated with documentation.
As investigations continue, taxpayers are demanding transparency from an office meant to protect them from financial risk.
With rising insurance rates and fewer coverage options available to Californians, many question whether the state’s top insurance regulator has been more focused on luxury travel than on addressing a growing consumer crisis.
