Roanoke Times: Boucher Uses $29,352 in Campaign Funds to Buy Car

Press Release

U.S. Rep. Rick Boucher spent nearly $30,000 in campaign funds to buy a crossover SUV last fall. Now his opponents in the 9th Congressional District race are trying to get their own mileage out of it.

The expense appeared in a fourth quarter 2009 report Boucher filed with the Federal Election Commission, along with several vehicle-related maintenance costs in the months since then. Boucher said he bought the 2010 Ford Edge in November at Bostic Ford Sales -- a dealership in the 9th District -- with a mix of campaign funds and personal money in such a way that he can use it for official, campaign and limited personal business without spending taxpayer money.

Federal law and congressional rules allow for the use of campaign funds to purchase vehicles -- so long as they're used for campaign purposes, including congressional duties in most situations -- but the purchase received a flurry of attention Thursday after blogger Ben Tribbett wrote about it on his "Not Larry Sabato" site.

Republican Morgan Griffith, who's running against Boucher, issued a news release Thursday noting the amount of campaign funding spent on the vehicle is just under the $34,506 mean income of district residents, according to U.S. Census Bureau data.

"At a time when people are struggling to pay their bills, no congressman should be purchasing a new car with campaign contributions," Griffith said. "Rick Boucher should be able to purchase a car himself with his $174,000 congressional salary."

Full article here: http://www.roanoke.com/politics/wb/260713

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