Delaware treasurer releases travel expenses, will reimburse state

State Treasurer Chip Flowers produced long-awaited documents outlining his use of state credit cards during a now-controversial side trip with a co-worker in his office while on a business trip to Alaska.

The release of the documents follows accusations that Flowers used taxpayer dollars for personal use during a 2012 business trip to Alaska, Flowers has released the expense records for the trip in hopes to set the record straight.

“At no time, as you will see in a significant amount of documents that will be released later today, did the state Treasurer use any state credit card or any state funds on personal usage,” said Flowers. “It did not happen. I am disappointed that political critics would try to imply it.”

For the past several weeks reports have been swirling that Flowers used his state-issued credit card to go sightseeing while in Alaska for the National Association of State Treasurers Annual Conference.

“Though I was on official business throughout my stay in Alaska, some of the reporting on this subject had suggested that this was not the case,” said Flowers.

Record keeping problem

With all the attention on the Alaska trip records, Flowers said his office uncovered a problem in the record keeping by the treasury’s former senior fiscal officer.

“During the initial review of the travel documents, we were unable to immediately locate four reimbursement forms for official trips,” said Flowers. “After further review and verification, the findings show that this former employee incorrectly submitted one form and failed to complete and submit the three remaining reimbursement requests.”

That employee retired before any disciplinary action could be taken.

No longer using state credit

In an effort to “avoid any future confusion” over the trip, Flowers said he would reimburse the state $876.05 for the Alaska trip as well as another business trip he took to Seattle.

“I hope these payments will show the public my willingness and desire to protect the integrity of the Delaware State Treasury,” he said.

Additionally, Flowers said he will no longer use his state issued credit card and will instead use his personal credit card for certain travel and “assume the reimbursement risk.”

Flowers said he’s also cooperating with the state auditor’s office as they review the travel documents.