You have to spend money to make money, the old adage goes.
Maryland Martin O'Malley's economic mission to East Asia ended up spending six figures in expenses.
O'Malley's office released the cost of his development trip on Friday: approximately $144,000 for five people.
The governor and his entourage spent ten days, jetting between China, South Korea and Vietnam. The cost of airfare, meals, and incidental added up to $43,000. The cost of hotels, gifts, visas, business cards, and printing for a book cost $101,000.
Those charges did not include the cost of the governor's security detail. In total, 68 business and political figures made the journey, but most paid their own way.
The five who got to put their expenses on the governor's tab were Sam Clark, the governor's office director, David Lee, Director of Ethnic Commissions, Christian Johansson, the Secretary of Maryland Department of Business, and Brad Gillenwater, regional manager for DBED.
