Republican presidential candidate and Texas Congressman Ron Paul was reimbursed twice for multiple trips, according to a report from Roll Call. Mr. Paul, who is championed by his supporters for his candidness, is reported to have been paid twice for air travel between Washington D.C. and Texas’ 14th Congressional district. Citing public records and other documents, Roll Call contends that Mr. Paul was reimbursed by taxpayers and by political and nonprofit organizations that he oversaw.
Roll Call cited eight different trips for which Mr. Paul was reimbursed twice. Ron Paul 2012 National Campaign Chairman dismissed Roll Call’s report. It is “possible that wholly inadvertent errors were made in a handful of instances,” argued Mr. Benton, according to Roll Call. Mr. Benton added that “absolutely zero taxpayer funds were ever misused.”
Mr. Benton offered another explanation for the extra reimbursements. The records “may appear to show duplicative reimbursements because Congressman Paul’s wife or a campaign staffer traveled with him. In such instances, the U.S. House would reimburse Congressman Paul’s travel to D.C. for Congressional business, while his campaign or political action committee would reimburse his traveling companion’s ticket,” Mr. Benton posited.
Roll Call cites one example in which Mr. Paul bought a round-trip ticket for a flight from Washington D.C. to Houston, Texas for $651.50. According to filings with the FEC, the Committee to Re-Elect Ron Paul handed $651.50 over to Mr. Paul for the round-trip ticket. However, Congressional records reveal that taxpayers also paid Mr. Paul $651.50 for the round-trip ticket.
Mr. Paul, who garnered third in the Nevada Republican Caucus, is looking ahead to the Minnesota, Colorado and Missouri elections Tuesday.
