As if Republican Senator Josh Hawley hadn’t made a big enough mess for himself, namely for his behavior surrounding the Trump-induced riot at the Capitol building last month, it seems the right-wing nutcase is back again for what feels like round bazillion as he has apparently been caught skimming campaign funds to foot the bill for his family vacation.
According to a report from the New York Post, Senator Hawley is under the microscope once more, this time for billing $19 in food costs for himself and his family during a “lobbyist retreat” in Orlando, Florida.
Filings from the Federal Election Commission show that Hawley billed his campaign a total of seven seperate charges — to Voodoo Doughnut, Seuss Popcorn, Lard Lad, Lagoon Popcorn, Hopping Pot, Bumblebee Taco, and Margaritaville — while on a personal vacation with his family last March. The NY Post goes on to report that the event was scheduled in unison with his fellow Missouri Senator Roy Blunt’s Rely on Your Belief PAC. Ultimately, Blunt’s PAC spent $4,680.65 on admission to the popular theme park, Universal Studios.
Politicians are beholden to very strict rules surrounding their campaign money and a very strict rule that disallows them from using any of the funds for personal expenses. So, naturally, Hawley’s spending triggered serious alarm bells for campaign finance experts.
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Former F.E.C. chairwoman under Obama, Ann Ravel, said, “It appears to not be a legal use of campaign funds.” Director of the University of Virginia’s Center for Politics, Larry Sabato, gave his thoughts on the matter, which were in line with Ravel’s, stating that the charges made to Hawley’s campaign “warrant some scrutiny.”
Unsurprisingly, Hawley’s office was quick to defend the charges made by the senator, telling the NY Post that “This was a trip for the respective Leadership PACs of Senators Hawley and Blunt. The event is designed specifically for families to attend. Guests are encouraged to bring their children and Sen. Blunt has been hosting it for a number of years.” His office went on to assert that “the expenses were reimbursed on Jan. 30,” a full ten months after Hawley charges the food bills to his campaign.
It’s become increasingly clear that these GOP politicians aren’t just skeevy when it comes to politics alone — they’re just terrible people as a whole.
Featured image via screen capture
