Gov. Wes Moore’s $322K Sushi Run

You know Maryland’s broke when every time you open the paper it feels like you’re reading a GoFundMe page disguised as a state budget report. We’re running a $3.3 billion deficit, but don’t worry, folks—our fearless leader, Gov. Wes Moore, decided the cure to Maryland’s sluggish economy was to burn $322,000 of taxpayer money on a weeklong junket to Asia.

And not just any junket—this was the Cadillac of taxpayer-funded vacations. Picture it: business-class flights, swanky hotels, chauffeured vans, translators, photographers, and even a McDonald’s pit stop (yes, taxpayers got billed for a $15 McNuggets run in Tokyo). If Ronald Reagan’s famous “there you go again” line were still in play, it would’ve been directed squarely at Annapolis.

The Price of Maryland Diplomacy

Let’s break down the receipts like we’re reading the world’s most depressing Venmo history:

• $120,000 for flights. Half the delegation flew business class. Some tickets cost over $19,000 per person. For that price, they better have gotten massages, foot rubs, and a free Netflix subscription for life.
• $94,000 for hotels. That’s about $670 per night in Tokyo and $400 in Seoul. I’ve stayed at a Holiday Inn Express and gotten free breakfast—what’s wrong with that?
• $29,800 for vans and transportation. Because apparently Uber is too plebeian.
• $20,000 for meetings and receptions. Maryland taxpayers basically paid for cocktail hour.
• $9,300 for interpreters and photographers. The least offensive line item, but let’s be real—if you’re dropping $322K, maybe don’t nickel-and-dime us with gift shop “challenge coins.”
• And yes, $15 McDonald’s receipt. Nothing screams “diplomatic mission” like swiping the state credit card for a Big Mac.

Who Went Along for the Ride?

The Moore entourage wasn’t small either. Nineteen state officials, including the Secretary of Commerce Harry Coker Jr. and Secretary of State Susan Lee, had their costs covered by—you guessed it—you and me. Eight others came too, but at least they had the decency to pay their own way.

This was less “strategic trade mission” and more “field trip with government chaperones.” And while the private-sector folks like IonQ’s chairman may have had a real stake in drumming up deals, Moore’s team flew in like a traveling circus—with the taxpayers playing the role of ringmaster footing the bill.

What Did We Get for $322,000?

Moore bragged about:

• Talking to 50 South Korean firms and 10 Japanese ones.
• Helping 10 Maryland companies with “export leads.”
• Renewing “sister-state agreements” (basically symbolic pen-pal programs with countries that have their own deficits to worry about).
• Supporting IonQ’s expansion into international markets.

The only real deliverable so far? A deal between IonQ and Korea Institute of Science and Technology Information—announced in July. Translation: one company got something out of this trip. The other 6 million Marylanders? Nada.

Moore promised we’d see a “tangible return on investment in weeks or months.” Well, it’s been months. And the only tangible thing Marylanders have seen is their tax bills going up.

Timing Is Everything

The worst part? This international spending spree came right after a brutal legislative session where Moore tried to plug a $3.3 billion deficit with new taxes. Imagine telling Maryland families to tighten their belts, then jetting off on a business-class tour of Asia. That’s the political equivalent of telling your kids you can’t afford dinner—while posting selfies from a steakhouse.

And let’s not forget: Moore hyped up an ambitious Japanese maglev train project during this trip, a project that’s already been shut down by the Trump administration. So he was essentially pitching Maryland on a train to nowhere.

Final Boarding Call

Here’s the bottom line: $322,000 for a trip that hasn’t delivered squat. Maryland taxpayers bought business-class tickets for politicians to go sightseeing in Asia under the guise of “economic development.” The results? A couple of photo-ops, a symbolic agreement or two, and a lot of sushi receipts.

And if you thought the spending ended when Moore touched down at BWI, think again. Back home, he’s greenlighting $2.3 million in taxpayer-funded renovations for the Governor’s Mansion. Because nothing says “shared sacrifice” like the Governor living it up in a freshly remodeled palace—while the rest of us are stuck in coach, paying the tab.

Ian Schartz, is a contributor for Direct Line News, he can be reached at Ian.Schwartz@mcgopclub.com

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Ian Schwartz

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