We’ve now obtained the complaint Louisiana State Democratic Party chairman Christopher Whittington has filed with the Senate Ethics Committee, charging that Sen. David Vitter (R-LA) used “appropriated funds to pay for town halls at which he engaged in campaign activity.
It was reported that on August 3, 2009, Senator Vitter held a breakfast town hall event…. The town hall was described as “not a campaign stop but part of his routine and his job as an elected official.”… On information and believe, the expenses for this event were paid with Senate appropriated funds.
Instead of focusing on his official duties, the news articles described Senator Vitter as using this gatering to “compare[] his stance on health care to that of his likely future opponent, U.S. Rep Charlie Melancon….”
You can read the entire letter here. It also cites a separate event on August 17 at which Vitter reportedly urged the crowd to “keep up the pressure on” Melancon, and other Democratic congressmen–which may cross the line into political campaigning. Let’s see how the Ethics Committee, and Vitter, respond.
Late update: Vitter says, “The Democrats’ reaction to these town halls across America is to try to shut down the debate and suggest that it’s somehow out of bounds. Well it’s not out of bounds because this is still America.”
“Instead of trying to shut down free speech, why doesn’t Charlie Melancon have at least a single in-person town hall this month?” he added. “Sen. Vitter is having 19.”
