Defending them? No. Just very skeptical about the coverage.

When a company (or a union) is under fire for extravagant spending, sometimes they go to extreme lengths to make everything appear kosher, only to shoot themselves in the foot.

As was explained in a union meeting, costs for these events are normally pre-paid, and whether you cancel or not, you don't get the money back.

Damned if they did, damned if they didn't.