Inside Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee's $117K economic development trip to France and Italy

Tennessee spared no expense for the governor’s first overseas economic development trip since the pandemic, and his first to Europe, spending more than $117,000 over the six-day trip earlier this year, according to expense reports obtained by The Tennessean.

Tennessee's delegation consisted of six state employees, two of their wives, and two members of the governor’s security detail. Together, they traveled in luxury accommodations to Paris, France, and Bologna, Italy “to promote the state” at the Paris Air Show and other meetings in June.

Lee was one of 10 U.S. governors to attend the event, which resumed this year for the first time since 2019.

In Paris, they stayed in a five-star luxury hotel steps from the Eiffel Tower and dined at a Michelin-reviewed restaurants – all paid by Tennessee taxpayers.

The group appears to have scheduled nearly two full days of free time to explore Paris, engaging in state business during evening receptions. During the first two days abroad, the only items on the official itinerary began at 4:45 p.m. and 6 p.m.

In Bologna, the group stayed in the Grand Hotel Majestic, a five-star hotel acclaimed as the "oldest and most prestigious" accommodations in the city, within walking distance of Piazza Maggiore and the iconic medieval Due Torri towers.

State policies governing travel related spending for most state employees require strict economy ― but there are exceptions for anyone traveling with the governor, and for economic development officials traveling "to promote the state."

“Creating jobs and greater opportunity for Tennesseans is one of Governor Lee's top priorities, and strategic international trade missions have provided a significant return on investment,” Lee spokesperson Elizabeth Johnson said in a statement. “Tennessee has competitively earned a worldwide reputation for being one of the best places to do business, not just in the United States but across the globe.”

While taxpayers foot the bill for the travel, agencies aren't divulging the specifics of who officials met with during the trip.

Shortly after the trip, the governor's office disclosed the companies Lee and ECD officials met with which already conduct business in Tennessee. Those included French-owned Schneider Electric, which operates its Southeast U.S. regional office in Williamson County and employs more than 1,000 Middle Tennessee residents.

A photograph released by the governor's office from the trip also shows Lee during a tour of Atlas Concorde, an Italian porcelain and ceramic tile manufacturer. Atlas Concorde USA division is located in Franklin, Tennessee.

But meetings with other businesses who may be considering doing business in Tennessee remain secret. The state has deemed confidential all records disclosing who the delegation met with, meeting locations, and basic talking points.

Only one meeting was not redacted on the governor's itinerary for the trip: a meeting with Brazilian commercial and military aerospace manufacturer Embraer at the Paris Air Show.

Records about the trip obtained through public records request by The Tennessean from ECD and the governor's office, including expense reports and briefing documents, included more than 184 pages of fully-redacted material.

“The Commissioner’s Briefing and Governor’s Briefing contain redactions,” ECD Assistant General Counsel told The Tennessean in an email. “They reference confidential projects that are not yet subject to public records requests.” 

Even talking points prepared for the trip provided to The Tennessean in a records request are heavily redacted.

From unredacted portions of the talking points, the general theme of the trip focused on aerospace and air transportation endeavors.

ECD did not respond to questions from The Tennessean on whether any of the projects or contracts discussed during the trip have since come to fruition.

Instead, ECD spokesperson Jennifer McEachern cited the agency's success at landing foreign direct investment during Lee's administration.

"Tennessee has built a reputation of being a top destination where companies from around the world want to do business, and it has taken decades to get us to where we are today," McEachern told The Tennessean in an email.

Tennessee has landed 135 foreign direct investment projects, a total of $10.4 billion in private investment since Lee took office, creating more than 21,500 job commitments. Investment from French and Italian businesses account for nearly $2 billion foreign direct investment in Tennessee, and more than 13,500 Tennesseans are employed by French- or Italian-owned businesses.

Who spent the most?

Officials spent thousands of dollars on food, lodging, and airfare during the six-day trip. Here's what each spent, according to expense reports obtained through public records requests by The Tennessean.

• $26,229 – Gov. Bill Lee and first lady Maria Lee (This reflects only airfare and the Bologna hotel. The governor's Records Counsel did not provide expense records disclosing cost of accommodations in Paris, rental vehicles noted on trip itineraries, or any food or per diem reimbursements.)
• $20,718.23 – Allen Borden, deputy commissioner at the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development.
• $19,888.02 – Chassen Haynes, senior director of business development at ECD.
• $17,001.05 – Alec Richardson, Lee's deputy chief of staff
• $16,752 – Joseph Williams, Lee's chief of staff
• $16,228.65 – ECD Commissioner Stuart McWhorter

Joseph Williams' wife, Palmer Williams, was also present with the group in Paris, according to itineraries and headcount lists for state-paid team dinners. Palmer Williams is noted on state records as with "State of Tennessee."

She is not a state employee: She is a policy adviser at the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, an entity of the Southern Baptist Convention. There is no record of the state paying for Williams' airfare for the trip, but the taxpayers did pay other expenses for her presence on the trip "to promote the state."

Two members of Lee's security detail, Lt. Joseph Patterson and Sgt. Craig Cockarell, also attended the trip, according to ECD records.

What did they spend it on?

• $24,819 on Delta and Air France business class airfare for the governor and first lady throughout the trip.
• €1,410 on the governor's deluxe room in Bologna.
• $36,188 on Delta business class airfare for ECD employees and McWhorter, the ECD commissioner.
• $8,614 on hotel rooms at 5-star Sofitel Paris Baltimore Tour Eiffel, two blocks from the Eiffel Tower for ECD staff 
• $1,410 on Bologna hotel for ECD staff
• $7,795 on food incidentals for ECD staff
• €2,167.37 – Allen Borden reported spending more than €2,000 on one “meal with confidential clients” at Michelin-reviewed restaurant I Carracci Ristorante located within the Grand Hotel Majestic in Bologna. Of that €1,272 was for food, €706 was for beverages.

A different set of rules

Most state employees are subject to strict spending rules requiring economy when they travel. Employees traveling for state business should be "as conservative as circumstances permit," according to the rules. Disregard of strict economy guidelines is grounds for disciplinary action or termination.

But, according to a 2011 change in state employee travel regulations, ECD employees traveling “to promote the state” and anyone traveling with the governor are not subject to those same rules. Those employees are granted "special travel status" and their expenses are not limited by state travel reimbursement rules.

Expenses deemed personal, "such as laundry, valet service, theater, recreation, etc.," would not be covered by taxpayers, according to the rules.

Altogether, the group spent more than $86,000 in business class airfare. Richardson was the only member of the delegation to book any airfare not in business class. His flight from Paris to Bologna was in premium economy.

Due to increased demand for hotels during the Paris Air Show, which the delegation attended, expenses were higher than expected ― nearly double the government rate ― agency emails show. TNECD staff sought McWhorter’s approval of the increased expense.

“The reserved hotels are charging above the government rate,” ECD Project Specialist Jennifer Birdwell wrote to McWhorter on May 2. “The government rate in Paris is $476.00 per night. The reservations at the hotel in Paris is charging for night one and two $789,94, and night three $833.49. While traveling to Bologna, Italy the hotel is also charging above the government rate of $270. The reservations in Bologna is charging $389.29 for each night’s stay.”

It is unclear whether any more economical hotel options were considered. 

Louis Vuitton and late-night bar stops

Haynes took nearly $200 in state-paid Uber trips, including to the Paris Opera Garnier, Louis Vuitton, and to various cafes and bistros at 10 p.m. or later. Many of his trips occurred after all officially scheduled state business was over, reimbursement records show.

On Monday evening, Haynes took an Uber to the Opera Garnier arriving just before 8 p.m. About 90 minutes later, he traveled to bistro Chez Andre, arriving at 9:26 p.m. According to an ECD spokesperson, Haynes attended a private reception at the Opera Garnier that evening. No reception at the Opera Garnier is listed on official state schedules for the trip.

On Tuesday, Haynes took an Uber back to the hotel from Bonhomme, a Michelin reviewed bistro, at 10:29 p.m.

On Wednesday, Haynes took a state-paid Uber to the Louis Vuitton store in Saint-Germain-des-Prés, reimbursement records show. An ECD spokesperson said that Haynes met with a confidential client at a location within walking distance of the Louis Vuitton store. No such meeting is noted in briefing document schedules. Haynes took an Uber home from another bistro, Chez Julien, around 11 p.m. that evening.

Altogether, Haynes spent $2,899.74 in taxpayer-paid meals during the six-day trip. 

Spouses attended the trip

It’s not clear why first lady Maria Lee and the wife of the governor’s chief of staff attended the trip.

ECD did not respond to questions from The Tennessean on what role the first lady or Williams had on the trip.

According to the governor’s briefing for the trip, ECD coordinated invitations and included the first lady in headcounts for every scheduled event and meeting.

“TNECD has coordinated invitations and accounted for the First Lady at each of the scheduled meetings/events, so she is welcome to join any portions of the itinerary that she likes,” a note in the governor’s briefing reads. “There are some that we would especially love and prefer for her to attend… Additionally there are some activities Wednesday that may be of interest to her. [REDACTED] She could meet up with the Governor and the rest of the group at lunchtime on Wednesday.”

Williams paid for her own airfare, and shared her husband's state-paid hotel room. Taxpayers paid for her meals.

Vivian Jones covers state government and politics for The Tennessean. Reach her at[email protected] or on X or Threads @Vivian_E_Jones.