Lauren Boebert is using Venmo, the weak FEC, and the short attention span of her Republican base and mainstream media to get away with using campaign money for whatever she wants.
September 23, 2021

[Above, Lauren Boebert performance art on the floor of the US House of Representatives. She says rape victims need a Glock rather than abortion.]

Lauren Boebert admitted in a "corrected" FEC filing that she "inadvertently" spent campaign funds on personal rent and utilities. But there's still something very fishy and definitely NOT transparent about this. Forbes:

On Tuesday, though, the campaign submitted an amended report for that quarter. Two of the disbursements, each for $2,000, are now described as “Rent billed to campaign via Venmo in error,” while the other two were categorized as “rent/utilities.” The document reiterated that all four transactions have been reimbursed.

After each Venmo disbursement, the updated filing now includes payments with the same amounts, dates and descriptions to someone named John Pacheco, whose address is listed as 120 E. Third Street, in Rifle, Colorado. That’s the same address as Shooters Grill, a restaurant that Boebert owns...

Boebert’s spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The FEC is "considering" punitive measures against this?

This whole thing stinks to high heaven. She's got a truckload of money pouring in from MAGA for her performative right-wing BS, and she's using Venmo, the weak FEC, and the short attention span of her Republican base and the mainstream media to get away with it.

PS. You have to be ridiculously corrupt and brazen to get penalized by the FEC. Duncan Hunter Jr and Jesse Jackson Jr were both criminally charged rather than the FEC doing anything about either. Hunter never spent 1 day in jail, after Trump pardoned him and his wife. Jackson spent about 2 years in jail.

The FEC has always been toothless because of the even split between Dems and GOP, something McConnell engineered. They're only good for disclosures and even that isn't done well enough. In other aspects, they are completely weak and spineless because the 50/50 split at the FEC means the Republicans block actual punishments for GOP lawbreakers.

Karoli Kuns and Scarce contributed to this post.

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