Kentucky’s Republican state auditor Allison Ball is raising red flags over what she calls “concerning” and “worrying” spending by the executive branch led by Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear, a man many believe has presidential dreams in his future. Apparently, those dreams come with a taste for limousines, fancy dinners, and private clubs.
Ball released a report detailing executive branch spending from fiscal year 2025, entered into the Commonwealth’s eMARS system, and said the extravagant use of taxpayer dollars “needs to stop.” Among the expenses flagged were $183,576 in out-of-state travel, including $7,632 for a limousine in Germany, a $17,013 dinner at a Kentucky distillery, and $360,000 to send 75 people to a two-day conference inside the state. Because nothing says “budget discipline” like six-figure conference trips.
“We saw some really excessive, really worrying and questionable expenditures,” Ball told Fox News Digital. One example she highlighted was about $338,000 spent by the governor’s office and tourism cabinet on a nonprofit called First Saturday in May. For those unfamiliar, that’s the day of the Kentucky Derby. According to Ball, that money went toward events for VIPs to celebrate and observe the Derby — which is nice work if you can get taxpayers to fund it.
Ball explained that all of the spending was entered by the executive branch itself into the state system. While she acknowledged that elected officials require more security than the average citizen, she said much of what she found crossed the line into “luxury items.”
“I absolutely think the governor needs security,” Ball said. “But this is the time when you look at, OK, are you spending an excessive amount?” She pointed to $7,000 for limousine services in Germany, $5,000 just to navigate an airport in Switzerland, and hotels in places like Beverly Hills and Aspen. The report even found hundreds of dollars spent at the Caribou Club, a private club in Aspen — because apparently public service now includes private club memberships.
Beshear’s office did not respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital. However, the governor told local media that his office was never asked questions about the report and claimed it was a political attack. Ball responded that pushback like this is “no surprise” and emphasized that her role is about transparency, not politics.
The report also noted $39 million in advertising spending by the executive branch, more than $7 million in out-of-state travel, over $23 million in in-state travel, and more than $16 million on trainings, conferences, food, and trade shows.
Once again, a Republican auditor is doing what Democrats hate most: showing the receipts. And while the governor’s office may not like the spotlight, taxpayers deserve to know where their money is going. Transparency and accountability still matter — and thanks to Ball’s report, Kentuckians now have both.
