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Report: House Democrat spent campaign funds on numerous California trips
A 12-term New Jersey House member is facing questions about campaign-funded trips to California that appear to coincide with the launch of his daughter's career in show business.
Though he is not accused of any wrongdoing, Rep. Rob Andrews (D) has been faulted in the past by watchdog groups for donating political funds to theater organizations where his daughter had performed and to other groups linked to his family.
At least four of the trips coincided with appointments attended by his daughter, Josie, at her record label, the analysis said.
Records also show that Andrews raised about $260,000 for his campaign from California residents and groups during that time. Roughly six of the trips appeared to include major fundraising events.
In an emailed statement, Andrews spokesman Fran Tagmire said that all of the campaign's expenditures are "fully disclosed and fully comply with the law" and that Andrews's "personal expenses are always paid for out of personal funds."
"The purpose of the travel was to engage in fundraising activities and political meetings with members of the higher education community, foreign policy advocacy groups, and various members of the legal and other industries," he wrote.
"The full public disclosure of these legal and proper expenses,
including the accompaniment of [Rep. Andrews's] minor daughter and her
participation, is consistent with the law in all respects."
Andrews, who was first elected to his seat in 1990, has been scrutinized in the past for appearing to benefit himself and his family with campaign purchases.
During the 2010 election cycle, he allocated $68,530 in campaign funds to the Walnut Street Theatre, based in Philadelphia, where his wife is a trustee and his daughter has performed several times.
The Rutgers University School of Law — where Andrews's wife is an associate dean — also received nearly $9,000 in donations and $1.5 million in government earmarks, according to a recent report by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW).
Citing those cases, CREW recently called Andrews one of Congress's "most egregious offenders" among members who "use their positions to benefit themselves and their families."
"It's unusual for a member from New Jersey to spend so much of his time allegedly fundraising in California," CREW executive director Melanie Sloan said of The AP's most recent findings.
"It suggests that he's been using his campaign funds for personal use," Sloan said.
Tagmire hit back on Thursday, calling CREW a "shadowy organization" whose donors are paying for it "to continuously attack the congressman and ... to continuously attack and falsely malign his minor daughter."
"Refusing to disclose who is actually paying for these vicious and false attacks, CREW uses complete conjecture and innuendo to malign a young girl who is not a public figure," he said.
"These false and baseless attacks ... are truly appalling."
The pattern of Rep. Andrews's frequent travel to California first began in 2007, when online biographies suggest Josie had been attending auditions in the state, The AP analysis said.
This post was updated at 3:07 p.m.
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