Staff Reports
The Republican National Committee (RNC) is no stranger to spending controversies. Just over a year ago, RedState uncovered how millions of donor dollars were being wasted on lavish items like private jets, Broadway tickets, and fancy floral arrangements. This sort of excessive spending goes against conservative principles of frugality. In fact, back in 2010, RNC Chair Michael Steele was ousted due to outrage over his luxurious expenditures. But it seems like the RNC hasn’t learned its lesson.
Recently, it was revealed that the RNC is facing a cash shortage and has authorized a $10 million line of credit in its 2024 budget. As always, RedState has dug deeper into the RNC’s spending habits. And surprise, surprise, the numbers don’t look good.
Oh. Is that why they need to dip into that $10 million line of credit?
EXCLUSIVE: RNC Spent $1.5 Million on Floral Arrangements, Limos, Management/Media Consultants https://t.co/GGwOJx6GTj
— Jennifer Van Laar (@jenvanlaar) January 31, 2024
Comparing the RNC’s expenditures to those of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) during the same period, it’s clear that the RNC is spending significantly more in certain categories. They’re shelling out big bucks for office supplies, management consulting, floral arrangements, media booking consultants, and even limousines. Meanwhile, the DNC is investing more in areas like voter file maintenance and getting out the vote efforts. It’s clear that the RNC’s priorities are out of touch with what really matters when it comes to winning elections.
But let’s break down some of these spending categories further. The RNC has been spending an obscene amount on management consulting, with one firm even owned by Benjamin Ottenhoff, who is also the treasurer for WinRed. And don’t get me started on the RNC’s office supply expenses. While the industry average for businesses with 200 employees is around $27-32 per month per employee, the RNC is racking up a bill of nearly $300,000. That’s a lot of staplers and paperclips, folks.
And we can’t forget about the RNC’s media consultants. They’ve been shelling out a whopping $813,000 to various companies for “Media Services/Consulting.” One company, Pearson Unlimited, LLC, is owned by C.J. Pearson, a co-chair of the RNC Youth Advisory Committee. It’s clear that the RNC is all about keeping it in the family when it comes to his lavish spending.
And let’s not overlook the RNC’s love affair with limousines. While they claim that these transportation expenses are not actually for limos, their own FEC report tells a different story. They’ve spent over $300,000 on transportation services, and some of the companies they’re using only have limousines in their fleet. It’s clear that the RNC is living large while the rest of us are stuck in Uber cars.
Overall, it’s clear that the RNC’s spending habits are out of control. They’re wasting donor dollars on unnecessary expenses instead of focusing on what really matters: winning elections. It’s time for the RNC to get its act together and start practicing what they preach – frugality and financial responsibility.
But of course, when approached for comment, the RNC had the audacity to criticize RedState’s reporting as “sloppy” and “dishonest.” They even tried to deflect attention by pointing out a few questionable expenses by the DNC. Nice try, RNC, but two wrongs don’t make a right. Instead of hurling baseless accusations, maybe they should take a good hard look in the mirror and start cleaning up their own spending mess.
In conclusion, it’s time for the RNC to stop living like Hollywood celebrities and start living up to their conservative principles. They need to tighten their belts and focus on what matters – winning elections and representing the interests of hard-working Americans. It’s time for a financial wake-up call for the RNC, and I hope they’re listening.
