SANTA FE, N.M. — Gov. Bill Richardson spent almost $139,000 for dinners and receptions at the governor's mansion last year, entertaining thousands of guests including movie stars George Clooney and Robert Duvall.
A discretionary expense account covers the costs of the events. Spending from the fund was up 63 percent from 2007, when the governor campaigned for the Democratic presidential nomination and traveled extensively outside of New Mexico.
Expenditures totaled $138,925 in 2008, according to a report obtained by The Associated Press in response to a public records request. That is up from $85,197 in 2007 from $109,486 in 2006.
About 85 events were held at the governor's residence last year and nearly 5,200 guests attended, according to Gilbert Gallegos, a spokesman for Richardson.
The governor's mansion is a single-story territorial style house on a hilltop north of Santa Fe. The governor and first lady Barbara Richardson live in private quarters, and the larger public areas are used for formal dinners and receptions.
Clooney and actor Kevin Spacey were guests at a dinner last November when they were in New Mexico for a film project. Duvall and actor Jeff Bridges attended a dinner last September when they were shooting a film in the Santa Fe area. Other celebrities entertained at the governor's mansion included actors Robert Redford and Ruben Blades, country music star Toby Keith and comedian Paul Rodriguez.
Richardson, a Democrat whose second term runs through the end of 2010, has promoted films as economic development in the state. The governor has supported a package of financial incentives, including a tax credit and interest-free loans, to attract film productions.
The governor, a former U.N. ambassador during President Clinton's administration, also uses the mansion for diplomatic events and guests included Chihuahua Gov. Jose Reyes Baeza.
"The governor's residence is an important part of New Mexico's culture and history. The governor and first lady are happy to open up the residence to organizations and community groups that want to use it to raise awareness for important causes," Gallegos said in a statement.
The only restriction in state law on the so-called contingency fund is that expenditures must be "for purposes connected with obligations of the office" of governor.
The Richardson administration released a "cash flow statement" that summarized the fund's expenses in categories: food and drinks, $60,609, or 44 percent; $41,744 for contracted staff; $7,440 for taxes, including those paid on wages; $10,115 on rentals; $12,967 on flowers, kitchen equipment, supplies and miscellaneous expenditures; and $6,050 on entertainment and a photographer who takes pictures at events.
The fund ended 2008 with a balance of almost $6,952, which was carried forward into this year.
The fund received $90,000 from the Legislature, $10,754 in reimbursements and deposits, and interest earnings of $43.