Arkansas governor reports $11K in trips accepted in 2018

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Arkansas’ governor is reporting he and his wife accepted more than $11,000 in trips from groups last year, the bulk of which came from Republican-affiliated organizations.

Republican Gov. Asa Hutchinson detailed the trips he and first lady Susan Hutchinson accepted from outside groups in his annual statement of financial interest filed Thursday. Hutchinson reported that the Republican Governors Association paid for more than $9,800 in flights and hotel expenses for meetings. He reported the state GOP paid $560 for him to travel to President George H.W. Bush’s memorial service in Washington.

Hutchinson reported accepting more than $4,800 in gifts, including an honorary membership to a Little Rock country club valued at $2,771.

The amount is a drop from 2017, when Hutchinson accepted about $65,000 in airfare and travel expenses.