Posted on 07/19/2018 8:35:29 AM PDT by yesthatjallen
Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.) used political donations to pay for almost $15,000 in tickets for Boston Celtics games, winery tours and trips to Las Vegas, according to a McClatchy article published Thursday.
Nunes, who is chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, used money from his political action committee to purchase Celtics tickets three times last year, according to McClatchy's analysis of reports from the Federal Election Commission and two watchdog groups.
His PAC, called New PAC, has also footed the bill for lavish Las Vegas events since 2013, spending a total of $42,741 on catering, rentals, hotels and meals, McClatchy reported.
The most recent Las Vegas expenses were noted in March, when the group sent $7,229 at seven restaurants and hotels, McClatchy reported, adding that the PAC spent thousands at six wineries in Paso Robles and Santa Margarita, Calif.
The outlet also noted that the wineries are located outside of his congressional district.
The PAC spent $5,000 one day on a limousine service. A separate $4,409 charge is listed for the Sea Venture, a beach hotel about 20 miles from Santa Margarita, McClatchy reported.
All of the transactions are listed as fundraising expenses, according to the article.
When asked about his PAC spending by a McClatchy reporter, Nunes replied, “I wish I could help you.”
Nunes's office has not responded to a request for comment by The Hill.
The House Ethics Committee prohibits the use of leadership PACs for personal use, however lawmakers are rarely punished, McClatchy noted.
Campaign Legal Center and Issue One, a watchdog group, released a report on Thursday detailing how lawmakers on Capitol Hill use leadership PACs to pay for “lavish lifestyles.”
PACs are supposed to allow politicians to donate money to other campaigns; however, the new report estimates that only 45 percent of the money given to leadership PACs over the last three election cycles went to other candidates or committees.
I need to get into politics. That or drug dealing. They both seem to pay off well.
Is Mad Maxine paying her daughter those hundreds of thousands from the campaign or are you and I paying for the daughter’s valuable contributions to congress?
You’d think these dumbass Democrats would get a new play book. This crap is getting old. Lets start taking a look at the finances of all the elected Democrats — now that would be interesting.
Deep State attacking.
“Is Nunes getting close to the truth about who is really involved in ‘Russian collusion’ investigation?”
Yep.
Must be or retaliation.
He actually said...”Tell VLAD I’ll have more flexibility after the election”.
Anyone who is under suspicion or who has committed crimes... lived breaking laws... they forfeit their right to even talk about someone else and what they might claim.
Until you clean up and take in all who have been the guilty all along...
Leave Nunes alone!!
You must wine and dine people. I’m betting this is true of every politician
Heh....yeah, even better.
The story is a lame-brained hit job. If Nunes was using these funds for personal benefit, that’s illegal. But if “fund raising expenses” are indeed the explanation, they are straightforward. There’s nothing wrong, for example, with holding a fundraiser at a winery. My guess is that this is fairly routine for a California politician. So you pay the winery. That’s not a scandal.
Great! I’m glad to hear he’s spending some of the money I donated him for R & R, if anybody deserves a break it’s him. Ask his supporters if they give a rip. I wouldn’t care if it was spent on hookers as long as they weren’t teenage boys.
” The story is a lame-brained hit job. If Nunes was using these funds for personal benefit, that’s illegal. But if “fund raising expenses” are indeed the explanation, they are straightforward. There’s nothing wrong, for example, with holding a fundraiser at a winery. My guess is that this is fairly routine for a California politician. So you pay the winery. That’s not a scandal. “
That’s probably even a bargain, under the circumstances :)
These prices are very modest if the PAC was holding events. It's impossible to evaluate them without knowing the character of said events. An elegant sit down dinner for ten major donors is one thing. A meet and greet reception for 150 of the congressman's closest friends is another. Bring in a speaker, provide entertainment, do a winetasting, whatever … reporters who write these kinds of stories have obviously never been involved with fundraising or event management.
If this money had been used on the sly and not reported, Nunes would have troubles. Not much to see if these are listed as campaign expenses. If Nunes donors have a problem with it, they’ll cut of the spigot.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.