County Judge Ricardo Samaniego billed taxpayers for business-class Taiwan airfare, then repaid $4,024 only after a reporter's records request

County Judge Ricardo Samaniego took a six-day, county-funded trip to Taiwan in March 2025 for the Smart City Summit & Expo, with an initial taxpayer cost of about $9,200, including roughly $7,855 in business-class airfare. The Commissioners Court voted March 10, 2025 to let outside donations offset the cost, then reversed that decision 4-0 a week later.