Outgoing Republican North Carolina Rep. Madison Cawthorn allegedly spent campaign funds illegally and can no longer repay his supporters, according to a report.
Cawthorn allegedly spent funds raised for the general election before the results of the primary had been declared, the Daily Beast reported. Since Cawthorn lost the primary and is no longer participating in the general election, he is now required by law to repay the money raised for the general election and refund his donors, the Daily Beast reported.
The outgoing Congressman is a week late to submit his quarterly Federal Election Commission report that would disclose the financial collapse, triggering an automatic fine, according to the outlet. “Nobody ever did the math, which baffled me because the spending was so outrageous,” one campaign source told the outlet.
As of May 5th, Cawthorn’s campaign had just over $137,000 on hand and $325,000 in debt, according to the Daily Beast.
Madison Cawthorn Claims Government Leaders Invited Him To An Orgy https://t.co/wXZas6SU7s
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) March 29, 2022
“Candidates can’t use general election funds in the primary, and if the candidate loses their primary, they must return general election funds to maxed-out contributors within 60 days,” Brendan Fischer, deputy director of the investigative watchdog organization Documented, told the Daily Beast. “The law around this is clear-cut so the FEC will take violations pretty seriously.” (RELATED: REPORT: Madison Cawthorn Could Be Indicted For Insider Trading)
Apparently, Cawthorn’s campaign spent $1,500 on frequent trips to fast food restaurant Chick-Fil-A, $3,000 somewhere called Papa’s Beer, $21,000 on lodging in Florida, as well as charges at cigar shops, and other fees related to consulting and fundraising, the Daily Beast continued. Cawthorn’s campaign manager was also reportedly provided with a salary that exceeded federal limits, according to another Daily Beast report.