By: Steve Bousquet
Source: Miami Herald
At a time when he faces an ethics complaint over state-paid travel, Lt. Gov. Jeff Kottkamp had a state trooper drive him and his family to suburban Atlanta last weekend for a surprise birthday party for a Tallahassee lobbyist.
In a state-owned vehicle, Kottkamp and his wife joined lobbyist Steve Metz and family members at a Saturday night concert in Peachtree City, Ga., featuring soft-rock singer Kenny Loggins.
Kottkamp said the law requires the Florida Highway Patrol to provide protection for him 24 hours a day, seven days a week. ”It doesn’t matter if it’s a public or private event. They’re there to provide safety and security, whether it’s the governor or for me,” Kottkamp said. “If I’m traveling, whether it’s state business or not, if they’re going to be providing meaningful security, it’s going to be all the time.”
