REBUTTAL from spokesperson from Martinez's Political Action Committee.
"The most important point is that Governor Martinez does not use tax dollars when she is taking political trips. With respect to Sonoma, the Governor was the guest speaker at a reception and dinner being held by the Republican National Committee. She arrived in Sonoma the evening of September 24th, delivered a speech that night and left the next morning. The charges reflected on the report are simply credit card hold charges, not the actual expenses. The final expenses for that trip will ultimately be paid by the Republican National Committee and will consist of one night's lodging."

Albuquerque - New Mexico Governor's Susana Martinez took a $4,800 wine country vacation paid for with campaign contributions, according to finance reports filed by her campaign yesterday.

According to reports filed with the Secretary of State's Ethics Administration, on September 21st, while legislators were working away on redistricting, the campaign was busy planning for a wine country getaway. That day they paid $2,436 to the luxury Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn and Spa and another $403 in airfare. By the time the campaign was done at the resort that boasts a $565/night couples spa package and a $195/per person buffet (not to mention golf outings, wine dinners, body sculpting classes and cooking classes on site), they added another $1,992 in charges to the expense account.

Reports show that combined, Martinez's campaign and political action committee spent more than $20,800 since April to be wined and dined at four-star resorts from California to Texas, sometimes traveling aboard private luxury planes costing more than $2,800.

Highlights from the reports include:
Campaign funds paid for $11,230 in airfare on five different airlines;
Campaign funds paid $5,692 for lodging at resorts and hotels in Sonoma, Austin and Dallas;
The campaign paid $3,108 in cell phone bills. SusanaPAC racked up another $3,368.
SusanaPAC paid another $3,892 in airfare, $2,873 of that to charter flight provider Bode Aviation.
While Sonoma Susana was chartering luxury flights and romantic getaways, 379 donors who listed identified themselves as retired gave to her campaign, most at just $20 and $25 at a time.