Aren't we getting a little tired of this?
Since taking office in January 2007, Gov. Deval Patrick has used a credit card from his campaign committee to charge $85,000 in travel expenses to fund the governor's - and his wife's - advocacy of President Barack Obama's campaign.Charges included travel to New York, Florida, Ohio, Illinois, Colorado, New Hampshire, South Carolina, Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C.
On Election Night, Nov. 4, 2008, Patrick's staff traveled to Chicago on American Airlines for $623 and spent $410.92 in campaign money on meals at the Blue Water Grill. On Oct. 14, 2008, Patrick charged $38.95 at Sammy's Famous Corned Beef in Pittsburgh, Pa., as a "Political Meal (Obama for America)." On Oct. 29, $389.50 was charged to the committee's credit card for staff travel to Florida for Obama.
Steve Crawford, spokesman for the governor's political committee, said the governor's spending fell within the rules of campaign funding.
"His advocacy on behalf of Barack Obama was a permissible and perfectly appropriate expenditure," he said.
The Patrick campaign fund also paid for the travel of another Obama advocate - Patrick's wife Diane.
Office of Campaign and Political Finance records show that on Feb. 20, 2008, Patrick charged $679.20 for "Candidate and Wife Travel" to a Democratic Governor's Association Meeting on his campaign's credit card. On Nov. 4, 2008, Gov. Patrick spent $1,246 for an American Airlines flight to Chicago for "Travel Candidate and Wife."
Jason Tait, spokesman for the Office of Campaign and Political Finance, said that, by law, candidates can make expenditures to enhance their political future as long as it's not primarily personal. He said a campaign can pay for a spouse's travel expenses if the spouse is an agent of the campaign committee.
Crawford said Diane Patrick's travel fell within these guidelines. "It was both the governor and his wife who were actively involved in Barack Obama's campaign and spoke on his behalf and were honored to attend this (Nov. 4) historic meeting at (the president's) invitation."
Pam Wilmot, executive director for the good government group Common Cause Massachusetts, said travel is important to candidates because they can build relationships with political contacts and create a broader national following.
"Travel is necessary to be the governor of Massachusetts if you are looking for a higher office," she said.
But Wilmot said the use of campaign funds for Diane Patrick's travel flirted with the prohibition of spending campaign funds for personal use.
UPDATE: More from the AP and Globe.
SECOND UPDATE: From the Globe, Herald and NECN.
THIRD UPDATE: More from the AP, Howie Carr and Boston Herald.
