An American politician mired in an alleged travel spending scandal tied to a visit to Ghana has replied angry residents.
Phyllis Randall, Virginia’s Loudoun County Board of Supervisors Chair and two others were accused of spending taxpayers’ money to the tune of US$60,000 for a lavish trip to Ghana in June 2023.
In a statement to Fox 5, Randall denied using taxpayer dollars to fund the trips.
"I don’t travel on county taxpayer revenue and never have," she said, according to the outlet. "It’s a policy I put in place when I came to office in 2016."
The funds, the outlet reported, did not come out of Randall's own pocket, however.
They came from the economic development authority transient occupancy tax that is usually paid for by visitors of Loudoun County — not residents.
"There are people who are rebelling in their ignorance while ignoring the truth because they don’t want the answer, they want the issue," Randall said during a September 5 meeting to discuss issues.
Fox News reported that residents in Loudoun County on September 5 turned up at a Board of Supervisors meeting "to voice their concerns about their taxpayer dollars being used by local leaders to fund a lavish trip to Ghana."
The taxpayer dollars, according to the outlet, were used for "first-class flights, five-star hotel, and nice meals, among other luxurious expenses," the report added.
The two other accused aside Randall, were Koran Saines and Sylvia Glass who came to Ghana principally to sign a sister city agreement with the Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA).
Phyllis Randall is the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors Chair whiles her vice is Koran Saines, Sylvia Glass on the other hand is a Supervisor of the Board.
Phyllis Randall, Virginia’s Loudoun County Board of Supervisors Chair