UPDATED: Your Take: People Magazine Paid For Malloy Trip To D.C.

Since we first posted this story, the Associated Press reported the following:

Malloy has since reimbursed the magazine "to remove a needless distraction when there are far more important public policy issues to deal with," according to the Associated Press.

And Malloy released the following statement: 

Governor Dannel P. Malloy’s Director of Communications Andrew Doba today released the following statement:

“To remove a needless distraction when there are far more important public policy issues to deal with, Governor Malloy has made the decision to personally reimburse People Magazine for the costs of his attendance at the White House Correspondents Dinner. He has written a personal check for $1,234.62.

“We are confident that People Magazine’s payment would have been proper under Connecticut’s ethics laws. The Governor attended the event in his official capacity and used the opportunity to advance Connecticut’s interests.  The Governor’s Office accepted People Magazine’s gift in order to relieve taxpayers of the cost.  Instead of shifting the cost to the taxpayers, the Governor is personally paying the cost.

“But let’s be clear about two things: First, during the event, Governor Malloy engaged in substantive discussions with numerous senior officials.  To note just a few discussions among many, he talked with Small Business Administrator Karen Mills about Connecticut’s Hurricane Sandy relief plan and small business investment programs under the JOBS Act, talked with House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer about the strategy for pursuing federal gun control legislation, and talked with Congressman Steve Israel about proposals for the establishment of a regional infrastructure bank. And Governor Malloy promoted Connecticut’s economic development agenda in discussions with numerous business and media leaders.

“Second, there’s a reason that Connecticut’s ethics law allows those who do no business with the state to pay the costs of events that advance the state’s interests.  The alternatives are to make taxpayers pay costs unnecessarily, or to limit the Governor’s active advocacy on behalf of Connecticut on the basis of his own private personal resources. We would rather decrease costs to taxpayers.  And we don’t believe that personal wealth should be a pre-requisite for the Governor’s active promotion of this great state.”

This article was reported and written by Senior Regional Editor Elissa Bass.

President Obama and Conan O'Brien were hilarious at last weekend's annual White House Correspondents' Dinner. They both killed it.

One person in the audience enjoying the jokes and the meal was Connecticut Governor Dannel P. Malloy. WTNH-TV and other media outlets in the state are reporting that the governor's trip was paid for by People magazine, a total cost of about $1,000.

The magazine told News 8 "with all eyes on the tragedy in Newtown, a story that People readers care deeply about, and that People has been covering intensively, we saw Governor Malloy as someone suddenly playing on a larger stage, someone interesting to our readers,our editors and other guests."

WTNH quotes the governor as saying "The Governor's office says it was okay to have the magazine pick up the tab because 'People Magazine' is not a lobbyist or state contractor, and the Governor cannot benefit personally financially from the gift.

"I could do it with state dollars, or I could do it with someone else's dollars. I thought doing it with somebody else's dollars made a lot of sense," said Malloy.

What's your take? Share your thoughts in the comments.