June 2, 2021

Contact: WisDems Communications (press@wisdems.org)

 

ICYMI: Mike Gallagher Violated House Ethics Rules

 

Gallagher’s Campaign Reimbursed Chief of Staff for Dining at Exclusive D.C. Political Clubs

MADISON, Wis. — The Journal Sentinel reported today Rep. Mike Gallagher violated House ethics rules by reimbursing his chief of staff for dining out at lavish establishments in D.C. Members of Congress are forbidden from allowing staffers to make contributions to their campaigns, even if they are reimbursed.

 

Gallagher is just another member of the D.C. swamp, with his staff focused more on wining and dining political insiders rather than representing the interests of Wisconsinites.

 

Read more about Gallagher’s ethics violation below.

 

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Bice: U.S. Rep. Mike Gallagher says staffer erred by picking up $565 in campaign expenses

 

Oops.

 

U.S. Rep. Mike Gallagher has been all about draining the swamp and changing the way members of Congress do business.

 

But the Allouez Republican’s campaign may have violated a longstanding House ethics rule by reimbursing his chief of staff for covering various non-travel-related expenses — including catering, meeting and shipping costs — between August 2019 and December 2020. In all, the Gallagher aide paid for and was later reimbursed for $1,147 in expenses by the Gallagher campaign, including $565 in campaign costs unrelated to travel.

 

That’s pretty small change, but congressional staffers are generally forbidden from making contributions to the campaigns of their boss, even if the staffers are promptly reimbursed.

 

Other members of Congress, including former Republican Rep. Jimmy Duncan of Tennessee and Republican Rep. Bill Huizenga of Michigan, have come under fire for similar payments from staff.

 

Told of the payments, Elena Kuhn, spokeswoman for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, said they show Gallagher is “all talk and just a typical Washington politician.”

 

“Gallagher must explain to Wisconsinites why his taxpayer-funded congressional staff are focused on illegally footing the bill for meals at exclusive D.C. political clubs,” Kuhn said.

 

Jordan Dunn, a spokesman for Gallagher, acknowledged the mistake.

 

“Upon realizing that a small number of campaign outlays were made by a staff member in error and reimbursed by the campaign, actions were taken to correct the matter immediately,” Dunn said. “This was inadvertent and steps have been taken to ensure that these errors do not occur again.”

 

Federal election records show that Gallagher’s campaign reimbursed Taylor Andreae after he paid $243 for catering expenses at The Capitol Hill Club and $278 for meeting expenses at The Brig on Dec. 17, 2020. Andreae has been Gallagher’s top congressional aide since November 2018.

 

The Capitol Hill Club is a GOP dining establishment that counts the “nation’s most influential people” as its members, according to The Associated Press. The Brig is a Washington, D.C., beer garden that serves Bavarian fare and offers German and local drafts.

 

[…]

###

Print Friendly, PDF & Email