Assemblymember Matt Haney started off July on rocky footing. His boozy campaign fundraisers at San Francisco 49ers and Warriors games, brought to light in a Standard report, prompted an investigation by the state’s watchdog for improper campaign spending.
But that inquiry didn’t stop Haney. He jumped on a plane later that month and spent $3,191 of his campaign money for two nights at one of Ireland’s most luxurious five-star hotels, Adare Manor, a 19th century neo-Gothic castle. The bucolic resort offers activities such as falconry, horse-drawn carriage rides, and clay pigeon shooting. (And don’t forget the in-house chocolatier.)
It wasn’t the only five-star hotel he would stay at during a roughly weeklong trip to Ireland as co-chair of the California Legislative Irish Caucus. Haney, who last week was reelected to a second full term representing San Francisco’s eastern side, spent two nights at the Merchant Hotel in Belfast and two more at the Shelbourne in Dublin, racking up another $2,053 in charges. Meals for the week amounted to $1,594.
| Source: Silvester Kalcik/Getty Images
The upscale accommodations, combined with the tens of thousands Haney has spent on tickets to sporting events, continue to raise questions about the elected official’s use of campaign funds.
“What the hell is he doing up there, anyway?” Tom Ammiano, a former Assemblymember who represented Haney’s district, asked of the Ireland trip. “It’s egregious. He’s leading the good life.”
The trip — which was reported as part of required financial filings from a committee Haney set up for his reelection campaign — is but a slice of expenses showing a politician with a penchant for the finer things.
All told, Haney has spent $28,753 on hotels, flights, and meals since July.
Records show he purchased plane tickets to Spain, Norway, and Colombia, as well as Chicago, Burbank, San Diego, and Palm Springs — all under the auspices of governmental or legislative conferences and delegations. He also bought flights to Azerbaijan and the Philippines for future travel before the end of the year.
Haney’s campaign told The Standard the Assemblymember’s international trips were all with other legislators. In Colombia, for example, Haney traveled for a United Nations conference, whereas in Norway, he learned about the country’s correctional facilities. Back home, his voyages included the Democratic National Convention in Chicago and meetings with a downtown recovery task force in San Diego.
The Azerbaijan travel is for the United Nations climate conference, and in the Philippines, Haney will meet for humanitarian and economic exchange purposes, his campaign said.
Previous records uncovered by The Standard showed that Haney traveled to Rwanda for a convention about promoting walking policies and Dubai for a climate conference late last year.
In a statement, Haney wrote, “All of my international travel is for official purposes with large California legislative or governmental delegations during our legislative recess. Groups of legislators travel with delegations to summits and conferences to meet with legislative counterparts to share our work on issues such as climate change, public health, and criminal justice reform, for example.”
Haney said the trips are an “opportunity” for lawmakers to learn how other countries are addressing challenges and to “bring back best practices” from abroad.
“Legislators pay for these trips out of our own committees so they are not at taxpayer expense,” he wrote.
Haney’s campaign said the elected official does not choose what hotels he stays in, and conference or delegation organizers choose a location based on security, hotel capacity, and proximity to events.
For the Ireland trip, a consultant chose the hotels. The Irish Caucus’ board, of which Haney is a member, approved the itinerary.
The Assemblymember has never flown first or business class, his campaign said.
John P. Pelissero, a government ethics expert at Santa Clara University, described Haney’s expenses as “inconsistent with the norms” of campaign spending.
“The expectations and guidelines around official travel are that you stay at the least expensive, decent hotel you can,” he said. “You don’t spend lavishly on meals and transportation and so forth. And the same expectations apply to campaign funds.”
Sean McMorris, another government ethics expert, said state law permits elected officials to spend campaign funds on travel as long as it is directly related to a political, legislative, or governmental purpose.
“Does a legislator need to stay at a $1k-a-night hotel?” McMorris asked in an email. “These are legitimate, ethical questions that constituents and donors ought to be able to scrutinize.”
The Fair Political Practices Commission, which polices the state’s campaign finance laws, declined to comment.
Haney was elected in 2022 to represent the 17th district in the state Assembly and has worked on issues related to opioid addiction, housing, and criminal justice. He was reelected last week in a landslide with 85% of the vote against Republican Manuel Noris-Barrera.
In June, The Standard reported that Haney spent $75,000 of campaign funds on San Francisco 49ers, Giants, and Warriors tickets, writing off the events as fundraisers. A representative for Haney declined to disclose which donors attended the games, and contributors to the reelection campaign expressed dismay at the spending in interviews with The Standard.
In addition to the games — which Haney posted about frequently on his social media accounts — the lawmaker spent thousands at swanky bars, on Ubers, and on a membership to the high-end social club the Battery.
Other California Assemblymembers were present on Haney’s July Ireland trip, including his co-chair on the Irish Caucus, Heath Flora, and Ash Kalra, Blanca Pacheco, Blanca Rubio, Damon Connolly, James Gallagher, Joe Patterson, Tasha Boerner, and Wendy Carrillo.
A photo posted to X by the Consulate General of Ireland in San Francisco shows Haney and Flora with Irish Minister Patrick O’Donovan, who appears to be receiving a California Legislative Irish Caucus plaque in the shape of the state Capitol. The Standard confirmed through a 3D tour of Adare Manor that the photo was taken at the hotel’s “Ballroom Reception” room.
During the trip to Ireland, Haney’s campaign said he met with multiple members of the Irish government, and discussed strengthening economic ties between the Bay Area and Ireland.
None of the state lawmakers who traveled to Ireland responded to an inquiry from The Standard.