Republican Party Credit Cards Gone Wild
The Florida Republican Party is under fire after their wild and loose credit card spending habits became public.
The party paid $3.6 million in credit card charges in an 18-month period that began in January of 2007, reports the Sarasota Herald-Tribune. But the real uproar is over State Rep. Ray Sansom’s spending. From the Harold-Tribune:
Top Republican officials have long had access to credit cards, but the public – and more to the point, campaign contributors – have not been able to see who is spending what. The secrecy changed this week with the release of Sansom’s American Express reports as part of the criminal case against him.
Sansom is facing felony charges of perjury and misuse of office stemming from the use of funds to build an airplane hanger. When his credit card statement was released, his spending habits were revealed.
As cited by the Miami Herald, Sansom spent nearly $200,000 including:
- $11,000 at Best Buy and nearly
- $9,000 at a florist in Fort Walton Beach
- $839 at Starbucks
- Shopping at Harrods in London
Other expenses included smoothies, dinner at TGI Friday’s and shopping at Target. According the Miami Herald, the Florida GOP cut up a party American Express card as a result of these credit card problems.
The Republican Party said it issues the credit cards to top officials to help with fundraising expenses. However, when the bills include travel for family members, electronics and trips to Europe it’s unclear exactly what was going on. But plenty of politicians and voters are upset with how the funds were used.
“The Florida Democratic Party does not issue credit cards to top officials,” said the Herald-Tribune.