Michael Steele, the head of the Republican National Committee, is continuing his high-flying, high-publicity controversy today with allegations of RNC being spent on exotic dancers, private jets, and gourmet catering. Just last month, Michael Steele faced accusations of over-spending the RNC spending budget on swank restaurants and private consultants. The RNC federal disclosure has been filed, and the Daily Caller blog pointed out a few of the highlights. Buried among other expenses, the RNC paid out almost $ 2,000 for “meals” at Voyeur West Hollywood, a high-end strip club. The debt repair for the Republican Party may take a when – Michael Steele has spent $ 109.6 million of the RNC’s cash, when his fund raising efforts have brought in $ 96.2 million.
Michael Steele may not have visited Voyeur West Hollywood
Though Michael Steele is the head of the RNC and was in Los Angeles at the time of the Voyeur West Hollywood charge, the Republican National Committee is disputing that he really visited the strip club. Directly above the Voyeur West Hollywood charge, the RNC federal disclosure also has a matching payment to direct-mail consultant Erik Brown. No matter if Michael Steele actually attended the event where $ 1,946.25 worth of “meals” were charged at Voyeur West Hollywood, as the RNC Chairman he had to approve the expense. The Republican National Committee has stated that they’re launching an internal investigation and are requesting that the strip club reimbursement be returned to the RNC coffers.
Other RNC expenditures by Michael Steele
Expenses other than the almost $ 2,000 spent at Voyeur have come into question while Michael Steele has been in office. When in California in February, the RNC spent over $ 15,000 at the Beverly Hills Hotel and Four Seasons. Michael Steele has also used $ 17,514 worth of private planes and $ 12,691 worth of private vehicles in February. The Republican National Committee has responded to these allegations by saying that these expenditures are guaranteed loans – necessary for bringing in the high-dollar donations the RNC relies on to fund their political activities.
Michael Steele angering some Republican National Committee Members
Michael Steele was made head of the Republican National Committee in January of 2009. One RNC contributor was later quoted 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 what Michael Steele has spent cash on, the federal disclosure makes it clear the RNC is bleeding cash. When most Americans are cutting back, many American Republicans are beginning to question how their RNC dollars are being spent.
