Alex Roarty at the National Journal has a story on Kamala Harris’ campaign costs to house California’s Attorney General and U.S. Senate candidate:
One stay. One hotel. $1,886.
That’s how much Kamala HarÂris’s camÂpaign spent this March to put up the CaliÂforÂnia SenÂate canÂdidÂate at WashÂingÂton’s luxÂuriÂous St. ReÂgis hotel.
A reÂview of the HarÂris camÂpaign’s FedÂerÂal ElecÂtion ComÂmisÂsion reÂports reÂveals it was far from a one-time splurge: In June, the camÂpaign spent $1,500 to house HarÂris for a night at HouÂsÂton’s posh HouÂsÂtoniÂan Hotel. In JuÂly, it was anÂothÂer night at the St. ReÂgis, this time for $1,600. In ChicaÂgo, it was the WalÂdorf AsÂtorÂia. In BoÂston, the Four SeaÂsons. And on four ocÂcaÂsions this year, HarÂris’ camÂpaign paid for rooms at the pricey W Hotel in Los Angeles.
The total price tag for these first-class acÂcomÂmodÂaÂtions? AlÂmost $18,000.
With an election in November 2016 for U.S. Senate, Harris is burning money at an alarming rate. and it is not just on hotels. Add luxury car services and airfare to Harris’ problems:
It’s not as if the CaliÂforÂnia atÂtorÂney genÂerÂal had money to burn, either. She’s already spent more than 40 perÂcent of the $6 milÂlion she’s raised since beÂcomÂing a canÂdidÂate in JanuÂary, an alarmÂing burn rate for a canÂdidÂate who is also on her second camÂpaign manÂager and third finÂance dirÂectÂor.
And the camÂpaign’s splurges aren’t limÂited to hoÂtels. Since HarÂris anÂnounced she would run for SenÂate in JanuÂary, the camÂpaign has spent nearly $20,000 on luxÂury car serÂvices and purÂchased exÂpensÂive airÂfare—with some trips costÂing nearly $2,500.
OutÂlays for airÂline tickÂets were simÂilÂarly pricey. The camÂpaign spent more than $1,000 on airÂfare 13 times—anÂothÂer five times, it spent more than $2,000, acÂcordÂing to FEC reÂports. On June 26, it paid AmerÂicÂan AirÂlines $2,471 on the same day it paid United AirÂlines, Inc. $2,155. On May 8, the camÂpaign spent $2,457 on tickÂets from VirÂgin AmerÂica.
