California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara Facesโ Renewed Scrutiny Over โฃLavish Travel Amid Insurance crisis
SACRAMENTO, โCA – California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Laraโ is under fire for extensive โluxury travel undertaken while the state’s insurance market faced instability andโ residents grappled with soaring premiums and wildfire losses. Reports from the โฃ Losโฃ Angeles Times, โขABC7, and Theโ San Francisco Standard detail at least โค32 luxury trips โขspanning over 163 days to destinations including Tokyo, Cape Town, and โDubai during Lara’s โtenure.
Lara, a longtime Democratic politician previously serving in the state Senate, reportedly flew cattle class while a tradeโ group covered the costs โขofโ first- โand business-class seatsโฃ for him. His โคoffice was slow to disclose detailsโข about his travel expenses, only providing information on some trips as recently โas November, according to the LA times.
Investigations revealed Lara’sโ trips included expenses such as limousines, an African safari, and a stay at a five-star resort in Dubai, accompanied by considerable security costs. He also reportedly missed key state meetings during โthese โtravels.
The commissioner’s spending extended beyond travel, with $107,000 charged to โคcampaign credit cards for travel and meals inโข locations like โฃDublin, Costa Rica, Switzerland, New Zealand, โand Bermuda, โคthe LA Times โreported. He โalso frequently dined at exclusive restaurants with unidentifiedโ guests, โฃwith โbills โcovered by campaign โsupporters, according to The โคSan Francisco Standard.
These revelations come โฃas California has โคexperienced skyrocketing insurance premiums โand โขpolicy cancellations from major firms, โคthough someโ have as recommitted to the state. Consumerโ advocates have criticized Lara โคfor appearing to favor insurance interests.
This isโฃ not the first time Lara’s ethics have been questioned. Shortly after โขtaking office in 2019, he was found to be โsoliciting donations from firms heโ regulated, prompting a pledge to uphold “a higher standard.”
A group of โฃLos Angeles-area โwildfire victims has recently called for โขLara’sโ resignation,as reported by theโฃ Losโฃ Angeles Times. Lara’s office hasโฃ been โคcontacted for comment.
