Sen. Mary Landrieu, Louisiana Democrat, sent a $33,700 check to the the federal government on Friday to refund taxpayer dollars she had wrongfully charged for political travel over a 12 year period.
Ms. Landrieu released an investigation report into her travel records that found more than $33,700 in campaign flights were charged to her Senate account.
In a statement on Friday she took responsibility for “sloppy book keeping” that led to the wrongful charges applied to campaign flights. The senator also released an ivestigation report into her travel records that her campaign commissioned.
The report found that about 11 percent of the total travel amount Ms. Landrieu’s official office paid for should have been billed to her campaign account.
“Forty-three inappropriately billed flights and misuse of tens of thousands in taxpayer dollars is a slap in the face to Louisianans,” Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus said in a statement Friday. “The sheer number of flights on the taxpayer dime warrants a more detailed investigation, Senator Landrieu needs to open her books to a purely independent investigation.”
Ms. Landrieu is caught in a tough Senate election against Republican Rep. Bill Cassidy and Rob Maness. The new report could give the two conservatives a jump in polling going into the midterms.
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Mr. Cassidy’s campaign pointed out that Ms. Landrieu did not disclose travel records prior to 2002, when the rules on travel spending changed, and questioned if there might be even more fraudulent spending to be found.
“Sen. Landrieu cites a rule change in 2002, but prior to that, it was also illegal to bill taxpayers for private flights. Given Sen. Landrieu’s own admission of faulty oversight, how do taxpayers know that problems did not exist prior to 2002?” said John Cummins, a campaign spokesman for Mr. Cassidy.
Mr. Maness attacked both candidates, calling them “creatures of Washington.”
“Is it any wonder why so many people have lost faith in their government? Washington politicians live by these double-standards, and it’s the people who literally foot-the-bill,” Mr. Maness said. “Right now, we have two creatures of Washington running to represent voters who live in a complete alternate universe from the rest of us. One charters planes to get around the state, and the other doesn’t believe participating in debates and forums is a good use of his time.”
Ms. Landrieu said she has implemented new office procedures to prevent further billing mistakes.
• Kellan Howell can be reached at khowell@washingtontimes.com.
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