Va. first lady McDonnell spent thousands from husband’s PAC on clothes, other items

[think]

Source: Washington Post

By Laura Vozzella, Saturday, July 27, 5:21 PM

RICHMOND — 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, Gov. Robert F. McDonnell (R), are under intense scrutiny for accepting luxury items and $120,000 in loans from wealthy Virginia businessman Jonnie R. 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...

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/virginia-politics/va-first-lady-mcdonnell-spent-thousands-from-husbands-pac-on-clothes-other-items/2013/07/27/fefddc62-f56c-11e2-aa2e-4088616498b4_story.html

[hrmjustin]

1. Wow! Tis family does not believe in rules.

[tblue]

2. How can I get in on that deal?

Our govt is a RACKET!!!

[VanillaRhapsody]

3. Good thing she didn't spend any of that dough on an abortion! Now THAT would be tragic...

LOL

[ZRT2209]

5. what if she used it to buy birth control! scandal!

[ZRT2209]

4. Christian values of the American Taliban - do as I say, not as I do

[Quantess]

25. Yeah, and Virginia is also the state where they're trying to outlaw oral sex

between everybody, including consenting (maried even) adults.

[Botany]

6. + 1

Christian Family Values

Learned from Pat Robertson's using $$$ from African Help Funds to run Blood Diamonds

[VA_Jill]

24. Well, after all,

Transvaginal Bob went to Regent University (aka Pat Robertson U). Of course he learned grifting, I think they have a class for it there.

[niyad]

7. took her cue from sarah, apparently.

[brer cat]

8. That was my first thought.

She learned it from a real pro.

[Left Coast2020]

9. Looks like Mr. Bob won't be Governor for much longer.

Bye Bye Bob. Don't let the door hit ya on the way out.

[RedstDem]

14. his term is over in a month or so...

one five year term here in the old confederacy..

[JimboBillyBubbaBob]

17. Actually,

one four year term and it is up in January. He should leave before then but it won't happen.

[SunSeeker]

10. Typical Republican grifters. nt

[DallasNE]

11. For Most American's $120,000 Is Not Pocket Change

So where did they come up with the money to pay off this loan? If it came from a private account, where did the money come from that went into that private account. Or was it a phantom transaction. For most Americans if it was $1,200 they could probably find a way to come up with the money, but $120,000 -- give me a break. follow the money all of the way back to the original source because it will have passed through several accounts along the way -- perhaps even foreign accounts.

[marions ghost]

12. RethugliCons

always have money.

Skimming is a favorite hobby of the rich.

[politicaljunkie41910]

20. What surprises me is how much the Governor can legally take from donors without disclosure in VA.

I agree with you that $120,000 is not pocket change and he should be investigated to see where that money came from. However, it appears from information in previous articles about the Gov, that VA law allows gifts to family members, such as the wedding gift to the daughter, shopping trips to the wife, and cash money to Gov McDonnell's sister whom he co-owns a business with and the Gov does not have to disclose it. And since the donors don't have to report, the recipients aren't going to unless they get caught as, McDonnell did.

Now we know that the "Party of Pull Yourself Up by the Bootstraps", is morally bankrupt beyond anything imaginable and any working class person who would vote for them, would need to have their head examined.

[OldRedneck]

13. This is in line with the GOTP view of the world

Republicans believe the world is divided into two classes: Makers and Takers.

They claim to be Makers but clearly they are the Takers.

[KansDem]

15. Grifters

It's finally occurred to me that Republicans for the past 30-40 years have been nothing more than con artists. And this includes the plutocrats who sponsor them.

And they have the audacity to blame the working poor of America...

[JoePhilly]

16. This is the only role of govenrment that the GOP recognizes.

Self enrichment.

[Berlum]

18. Republican "Family Values." As usual.

Sheesh.

[lynne]

19. "The spending is legal under Virginia’s lax campaign finance laws, . . . "

But it sure shouldn't be legal and I hope that this incident will prompt changes in the finance laws.

[treestar]

21. Reminds me of when the Republicans bought clothes

for Palin.

I guess the excuse is she needs to look right for campaign events.

[DallasNE]

23. But We Found About That

When somebody took the time to pour through the expense reports filed by the McCain campaign. Here there was no reporting and that is where the problem lies. Further, the "gift" for the daughter's wedding should have been declared as income for tax purposes so the IRS should have an interest in this as well.

[Kingofalldems]

22. Looks like a Special Prosecutor needed on this one

[indepat]

26. Rools are for the little people (fools).

[Ash_F]

27. That's what you get for donating to pubs

Then again we have the Anthony Weiner story breaking today about him spending 40K of campaign dollars to 'investigate' who sent his tweets so...