Daniel Bice

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Thinking about a trip to the Dells or Door County this summer? Or maybe even booking a vacation at Disney?

Gov. Scott Walker has a better idea.

The governor and first lady Tonette Walker are planning to host an "inspirational" cruise to Alaska on Aug. 12-19 along with a small group of evangelical Christian leaders and musicians. The trip, which would be run by Inspiration Cruises & Tours, would cost between $1,298 and $3,368, depending on the size of the cabin and its view, according to a brochure for the event.

The trip, Walker promises, would feature faith, freedom and family values.

"I want to personally invite you to join me and other special guests on a once-in-a-lifetime cruise to Alaska," Walker says in a welcome message for the website. "The United States is rich in natural beauty, but wild Alaska is perhaps one of the most scenic parts of our nation — if not the world."

Larry Cox, CEO of the evangelical Christian nonprofit Lifeshape, said his group is the one organizing the cruise, which he said is still tentative. Cox said his group has never previously done a cruise and is hoping to attract enough people so that it will break even. He said a final decision on the cruise is scheduled later this week.

As for Walker's involvement, Cox said, "We approached him. We thought he'd be a good speaker on values and the public square."

Among the other special guests on the cruise would be: Trudy Cathy White, whose father foundedChick-fil-A Inc.; gospel singer Wes Hampton; and conservative Christian brothers and entrepreneurs Jason and David Benham, who lost their planned HGTV show in 2014 for their anti-gay remarks at a prayer rally.

Cox said Walker and his wife would not have to pay for the trip because he is being invited to attend as a speaker. He said Walker's office had been in contact with state ethics officials to make sure the arrangement was permissible under state law.

"If we invite them to speak, we would pay for the trip for them," Cox said. "We wouldn't pay them anything. There's nothing they would receive."

Tom Evenson, spokesman for Walker, said the governor and first lady were invited to speak on the cruise about "how their faith guides their lives and leadership." Several weeks ago, Evenson said, Walker asked the state Ethics Commission to review the invitation to make sure it complied with state law. The board is expected to act on the issue next month.

Government watchdog groups said they believe the first couple should be paying their own way.

Jay Heck, executive director of Common Cause in Wisconsin, said state law bars state officials from using their office to accept something of value for them or their family.

"They simply need to pay the full price any other Wisconsin citizen would pay to take such a trip," Heck said. "All costs must be borne by the Walkers out of their own funds — not taxpayer funds or in the form of a gift or discount from the organizers of the cruise — or paid for by a lobbyist, or admirer."

Matthew Rothschild, head of the liberal Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, said the trip appeared to be political and religious, so Walker should not use any tax dollars for the vacation. "It’s all about him pandering to social conservatives for his next run for office," Rothschild said.

Milwaukee County Sheriff David A. Clarke Jr. was a speaker on a Cayman Islands cruise hosted by the conservative magazine National Review in late November. He reported that the magazine picked up the travel expenses and covered the cost of the cruise, all of which came to $9,434.

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Walker's trip aboard Holland America's ms Eurodam would make stops in three Alaska ports — Juneau, Sitka and Ketchikan — cruise Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, swing by Victoria, British Columbia, before stopping in Seattle. Inspiration Cruises & Tours has been managing group travel for Christian ministries and churches since 1981.

In his pitch for the cruise, Walker, the son of a Baptist minister, promises that it would be a "transformative experience" with gospel music and nightly "inspirational messages about issues that directly impact our society and business climate today." Among the topics, he says, are faith-driven entrepreneurship, religion in the public arena and strategies for changing the marketplace.

"Best of all, you’ll spend this wonderfully scenic week in the presence of like-minded business owners and impassioned professionals," Walker says. "What an awesome opportunity to network, build relationships and get inspired for the future.

"Get away for an exciting cruise conference that will enrich you physically, mentally and spiritually in a breathtaking landscape."

Contact Daniel Bice at (414) 224-2135 or dbice@jrn.com. Follow him on Twitter @ DanielBice or on Facebook at fb.me/daniel.bice.