Private jets and exotic dancers headline the accusations that Michael Steele is mis-spending Republican National Committee funds. Michael Steele faced claims last month that he over-spent RNC cash on private consultants and fancy restaurants. Today, Jonathan Strong of the Daily Caller posted his study of the RNC federal disclosure records. Among other things, the Republican federal disclosure reveals the RNC paid for an almost $ 2,000 trip to Voyeur West Hollywood – a “bondage-themed nightclub featuring topless dancers”. The RNC faces some serious debt repair – Michael Steele has spent $ 109.6 million in RNC money, when he has procured $ 96.2 million in fund raising money.
Voyeur West Hollywood trip might not have included Michael Steele
Though he was in Los Angeles at the time of the strip club visit, the Republican National Committee is disputing that Michael Steele in fact visited Voyeur West Hollywood. In the line quickly before the Voyeur West Hollywood charge, the Republican federal disclosure contains a matching payment to Erik Brown, who is a Republican direct mail consultant. Expenditures in the RNC must be approved, and so if he was there or not, Michael Steele had to have at least been made aware of the $ 1,946.25 worth of “meals” at Voyeur West Hollywood. In their press release today, the RNC has requested how the money be returned to the RNC; the RNC is also conducting an internal investigation.
Michael Steele’s other RNC spending items
In addition to the $ 1,946.25 spent at the West Hollywood strip club, Michael Steele has been the head of the Republican National Committee during many other disputed expenditures. Combined, the RNC spent over $ 15,000 at the Four Seasons and Beverly Hills Hotel in February. Michael Steele has also personally used over $ 29,000 worth of private jets and airplanes in just February. In response, the RNC has said that these expenditures are more like guaranteed loans – that high-dollar benefactors have come to demand red-carpet treatment.
Michael Steele frustrating some Republican National Committee Members
In January of 2009, the Republican National Committee named Michael Steele as their chairman. A very high-dollar RNC contributor was quoted this year as saying “fancies himself a presidential candidate and wants all of the trappings and gets them by using other people’s money”. Michael Steele has also faced serious criticism for spending RNC money on high-end catering from Wolfgang Puck where previous heads of the RNC used Chic-fil-A. In April 2009, the RNC instituted a new rule that RNC checks had to be signed by two officers.
No matter if Michael Steele was at Voyeur West Hollywood or not, the RNC federal documents highlight how the RNC is spending cash much more quickly than it is bringing money in. At a time of economic downturn, many American Republicans are beginning to question if the Republican National Committee is spending fund raising dollars wisely.
