Craig uses campaign funds to defend himself

U.S. senator paid advisers $23,000 since news of arrest at airport became public.

By Erika Bolstad - ebolstad@idahostatesman.com
Edition Date: 10/24/07


WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Larry Craig tapped nearly $23,000 of his campaign account to pay lawyers who've been advising him since news broke he was arrested in a sex sting, according to filings with the Federal Election Commission.

Over the past three months, Craig spent nearly $23,000 with Stan Brand, the Washington, D.C., lawyer who is helping Craig defend a complaint to the Senate Ethics Committee.

That's only part of his legal-defense and public relations spending. The filings cover bills paid through Sept. 30. No bills have been recorded from Washington, D.C., criminal lawyer Billy Martin or public-relations expert Judy Smith. Martin was hired to work on overturning Craig's guilty plea to charges stemming from his June 11 arrest in a sex sting in the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport.

Craig, who has said he has no plans to run for re-election, has $474,666 in his campaign account, according to his FEC report.

FEC rules on tapping campaign contributions to pay legal bills are fairly broad. The money can't be used for personal expenses, but generally the only requirement is that the spending be related to legal bills connected to an officeholder's role as an elected official.

Although each case is different, the FEC has frowned on lawmakers using their campaign cash to pay for lawyers when they get involved in situations that would have come up if they were in office or not.

However, recent cases have allowed lawmakers and candidates to spend money on lawyers — and even on public relations expertise — when they've gotten in legal hot water for matters connected to their jobs.

Most recently, the FEC issued an opinion saying that former Rep. Jim Kolbe, R-Ariz., could use campaign funds for legal expenses connected to a U.S. Justice Department inquiry regarding Kolbe's knowledge of former Rep. Mark Foley's interactions with congressional pages.

It's not clear whether Craig plans to open up a legal defense fund or use his own money for any of his future legal bills.

His campaign treasurer did not respond to phone calls, and since Sept. 19, Craig and his staff have refused to answer any questions from the Idaho Statesman.

During the three-month fundraising period that ended Sept. 30, Craig took in about $12,000 in donations, mostly from political action committees. Although the report shows that a number of companies donated Sept. 10, the money actually came in earlier in the summer, before news broke of Craig's arrest and guilty plea.

Craig also took in $1,000 this summer from the Lockheed Martin Employees PAC, $2,000 from the Bayer Corp. PAC, and $2,500 from Boise-based agribusiness J.R. Simplot Co.

Simplot has been a big Craig supporter throughout his career, said Mark Dunn, the company's vice president of governmental affairs.

However, the most recent donation from the company's political action committee came before the Idaho senator was embroiled in scandal.

"We think he's done a great job for the state, so therefore, we've contributed to him fairly consistently over the years," said Dunn, adding that the company has not been asked for any contributions since Craig's arrest. Simplot would not ask for the money back, either, Dunn said.

Other contributors included SRA International, a Fairfax, Va., company whose business interests include federal technology contracts.

The company's PAC gave $2,000 to Craig's campaign because he supported legislation that helped companies compete for federal contracts, said Chuck Brooks, a lobbyist for the company.

It was SRA's first donation to Craig, and Brooks said it came at an information-technology industry event July 18, before the news of Craig's arrest broke and before he announced he planned to give up his seat.

"It wouldn't make any sense to give him money now, since he's leaving," Brooks said.

Erika Bolstad: (202) 383-6104

http://www.idahostatesman.com/politics/ ... 91790.html