Living Like a King

Campaign funds should be used for campaigning, right?
Peter King has a campaign fund that hovers around $1.6 million cumulative this election cycle.
Dave Mejias has made an issue of congress continually voting itself pay raises and pointed out that King has voted 9 times to increase his own salary.
One wonders why King would need a salary increase when his campaign fund provides so much for him.

This is for the 2005-2006 cycle...

His campiagn fund pays for his car - Ford Motor Credit - $8156

And apparantly a new car this year - Hassett Lincoln Mercury - $1534
and an after-market item from Car Tunes - $533

Of course you need gas for a car - BA Mobil - $271
Exxon Mobil - $973
Getty Gas - $934
And sometimes repairs Rudy's A-1 Auto Shop - $500

The man has to yet some good food at Bobby Vans Steakhouse - $4152
Morton's Steakhouse - $1380
Tarallo's Pizza - $1108
The Caucus Room - $3776
The Dubliner - $2425

And he needs a place to sleep Phoenix Park Hotel, Washington, DC - $13,284

He needs his FOX News, cable bill from Cablevision - $1202
Cablevision contributed $2000 to King. Why don't they just credit his cable bill and call it even?
And his cell phone to call right-wing talk radio shows Island Cellular - $232
And pay Verizon Wireless - $6602
And Verizon - $1232
Verizon gave King $6000 and that went right back to them.

King apparantly likes to read, Amazon.com - $925
Barnes and Noble - $545

Non-itemized expenditures on credit cards Chase Mastercard - $530
Chase Visa - $370
American Express - $69,047
What did he charge $70,000 for in a single year? That's more than the average salary of his constituents.

In the 2003-2004 cycle, King spent $6093 at Bobby Vans Steak House, $1936 on Cable, $3030 for his car payments and alot more non-campaign items.

You can check 2001-2002 here, 1999-2000 here, 1997-1998 here, and 1995-1996 here.

King sure does love his steakhouse dinners.

And If you contribute to King, next time you see him ask for a ride in his car... you are paying for it.