On 7/29/2013 7:43 AM, F.O.A.D. wrote:
McDonnell’s wife charged nearly $10k in clothes to PAC

Posted: Sunday, July 28, 2013 12:00 am

BY LAURA VOZZELLA The Washington Post

Virginia first lady Maureen McDonnell bought nearly $9,800 in clothing
with money from her husband’s political action committee and tapped into
his campaign and inaugural funds to buy $7,600 in mostly unspecified
items, according to records and a representative for the PAC.

The spending is legal under Virginia’s lax campaign finance laws, which
prohibit the conversion of political funds for private use only when a
PAC or campaign committee disbands — not while it is operating.

But the purchases are unusual in Virginia, where campaign finance
records indicate that candidates do not routinely dip into political
funds to buy personal items such as clothing for themselves or their
spouses.

Maureen McDonnell’s use of political donations comes to light at a time
when she and her husband, Republican Gov. Bob McDonnell, are under
intense scrutiny for accepting luxury items and $120,000 in loans from
wealthy Virginia businessman Jonnie Williams Sr.

Federal and state investigators are probing the Star Scientific
executive’s ties to the McDonnells, who promoted his firm’s nutritional
supplement, Anatabloc. Last week, the governor apologized for
embarrassing the commonwealth and repaid the loans.

Several gifts that have drawn investigators’ attention seem aimed at
polishing Maureen McDonnell’s image as first lady. They are looking into
whether the mother of five received free cosmetic dental work from a
Richmond-area dentist, jewelry from a state delegate and a $15,000
Bergdorf Goodman shopping spree from Williams.

Using political money for clothes helped McDonnell step up her style
while her family’s finances were hit by the plunging real estate market.

Bob McDonnell won the 2009 governor’s race as several properties that he
and his family bought for a combined $3.84 million at the height of the
real estate boom had lost value. Maureen McDonnell complained to
officials at Opportunity Virginia PAC that she didn’t have the wardrobe
or resources necessary for her new role as first lady, according to a
person familiar with the PAC’s operations, who spoke on condition of
anonymity to maintain a relationship with the McDonnells.

Maureen McDonnell was given a PAC credit card, according to that person.
A representative of the PAC confirmed Friday that the card was provided
to the first lady, but he added that she no longer has it. The
representative answered questions on behalf of the committee on
condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the ongoing
investigations.

Rich Galen, a private spokesman for the governor and first lady on
matters related to the investigations, said that Maureen McDonnell was
borrowing the clothes, which would be donated to charity after Bob
McDonnell completes his term in January. The PAC also said that the
items will be returned to the committee and then donated to charity.

Phil Cox, director of the PAC and executive director of the Republican
Governors Association, acknowledged in a brief phone interview that the
committee spent money on department-store clothing.

“All of the PAC expenditures are publicly available,” he said. “What’s
there is there.”

Maureen McDonnell has charged about $9,800 in clothing to the PAC, but
that is not obvious from campaign finance reports filed by the committee.

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Hilarious.

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There is no connection between Republican Jesus and New Testament Jesus.

Heard a rumor that O'bama had family guests living at the white house
while collecting fraudulent welfare. Any truth to that?