One thought about "pocketing" campaign funds

Just weeks before Will Barclay decided against seeking the Republican nomination in the 23rd Congressional District, I received a call from a Barclay supporter telling me to check out Doug Hoffman's campaign expenses.

Mr. Hoffman, the Conservative Party candidate in last year's special election, had reimbursed himself and his companies for a variety of expenditures, including hotels, meals, mileage and cell phone plans. There was even a $6.05 payment from Mr. Hoffman's campaign to the candidate to reimburse a toll.

This Barclay supporter was certain that Mr. Hoffman was one of the few, if not only, candidates to reimburse himself for these types of expenses - and thought it was tacky that a (self-made) multi-millionaire would document each purchase of subs or staplers down to the penny.

Admittedly, I don't look at a lot of Federal Elections Commission reports, so I didn't know if this person's hypothesis was correct.

But this is part of why I didn't pursue the story four months ago:

OWENS, BILL TRAVEL, FOOD, CELL 10/14/2009 $9,377

OWENS, BILL TRAVEL, FOOD, CELL 11/03/2009 $8,568

That's from our millionaire congressman's FEC report. His campaign paid him $17,945 for "travel, food and cell phone" expenses for what I would hypothesize was the entirety of the campaign. (In April, there was an additional $614 paid to Mr. Owens by his campaign to reimburse travel expenses.)

For those keeping score at home, Mr. Hoffman reimbursed himself $6,689 - although Republican opponent Matt Doheny's campaign has identified $30,340 in payments to the candidate and his businesses spanning Mr. Hoffman's two campaigns.

Mr. Hoffman is a certified public accountant. I'd guess he's accustomed to documenting expenses and seeking reimbursements when appropriate.

He's paying himself interest on money loaned to own campaign. Mr. Owens and Mr. Doheny aren't, but they could. Mr. Hoffman's actions are legal.

Mr. Hoffman paid rent to Spruce Lodge, a bed and breakfast he and his wife own, for a campaign office. He paid lodging there to put up campaign staffers at a discounted rate.

Voters will decide whether Mr. Hoffman reimbursing himself for campaign-related expenses, paying himself interest or availing himself to lodging and office space that he owns is more important than jobs, taxes and the deficit.

I'm guessing it's not.