Embarking on something as straightforward as a holiday can often mire elected representatives in both complexity and public outcry. This is part and parcel of their roles. Whenever former President Donald Trump took to the golf course, it invariably triggered a chorus of criticism. This trend of public censure was not confined to Trump, with Joe Biden’s beach getaways, Barack Obama’s Hawaiian vacations and George Bush’s ranch retreats also attracting their fair share of uproar. It seems to be a commonplace reaction for civilians to voice their disapproval when leaders try to take time off from duties.
Maura Healey, the current governor of Massachusetts, was no exception to this series of criticisms when she recently ventured south to France with her partner Joanna Lydgate and Lydgate’s children. As cited by the State House News Service, Healey pointed out the trip was deeply sentimental. She stated, ‘This was a significant familial journey, seeing my partner reminisce about her childhood which was intermittently spent here over many years, and by bringing her father and siblings back to this place.’
‘I couldn’t make it to the first leg of the trip when they were in Paris, but I did join them for the concluding part and came back last Saturday,’ divulged Governor Healey. Those who keep up with state politics would remember her commendable speed in signing off on the state budget for Fiscal Year 2026, before swiftly departing for a destination she had not disclosed.
This penchant for non-disclosure of travel until her return has become a characteristic trait of Healey, sparking questions regarding ‘transparency and accountability’ from the Republican gubernatorial candidate, Brian Shortsleeve. The Boston Herald carried a statement from a spokesperson for Mike Kennealy, another Republican contender, hitting out at Healey for taking a vacation ‘amidst the grappling by Massachusetts families to keep afloat due to spiraling energy costs and a drop in affordability.’
MassLive.com pricked up when Paul Craney of the Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance piled on criticism. His discontent was with Healey’s trip being far from a weekend fling. ‘This was not a couple of days in Rhode Island, it was a full week in France as our court system teetered on the brink, and violent offenders got free passes,’ he contended.
‘Massachusetts locals merited the transparency about their governor’s location during a crisis, and yet she resolved to leave them uninformed,’ asserted Craney. Craney left no room for interpretation in his critique, unequivocally stating, ‘This shows a glaring lack of governance.’
The post Governor Healey’s French Getaway Draws Public Criticism appeared first on Real News Now.
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