CHARLOTTE, N.C. – NewsChannel 36 and other news organizations filed an open records act request for public records detailing the official travel of North Carolina Lieutenant Governor Walter Dalton.
Dalton is the Democratic nominee for Governor.
Friday morning the office of Lt. Governor Dalton, the NC Department of Crime Control and Public Safety, which provides his security detail, released more than a thousand pages of travel records.
The records show Dalton has taken 23 flights on state planes. All but one flight was taken on a twin engine turboprop.
The records indicate all the flights taken were for state business, not political events.
Tom Walsh, the Communications Director in the Lt. Governor's office, released a statement in conjunction with the documents saying, "Lt. Governor Dalton has been conscientious in his use of state resources for his travel.
Since 2009, he has traveled on two occasions as the only state official on the state plane and, since becoming a candidate for Governor, he has reimbursed the state for his ground travel in excess of what is required."
State policy requires candidates who are currently serving in state office and travelling to both political and official events on the same day to reimburse the taxpayers for 50% of the fuel costs for motor vehicle travel.
Walsh said Dalton has reimbursed for 100% of the fuel costs since he has been a candidate for Governor.
To read the full documents, click below:
