The watchdog organization Campaign Legal Center accuses Minnesota GOP Senate candidate Royce White of improperly spending campaign funds on personal use including buying jewelry and going to strip clubs in a Federal Elections Commission (FEC) complaint.
“Royce White for Congress reported disbursing over $157,000 to a variety of vendors for clothing, cosmetics, jewelry, resort charges, fitness, and entertainment, including at strip clubs and nightclubs,” the FEC complaint alleges.
The complaint outlines a laundry list of expenses which it alleges “appear to be of a personal nature.”
White’s campaign reported spending thousands of dollars at retail outlets like Amazon, Walmart and Target, according to the complaint. It also spent thousands on a gym membership, beauty and cosmetic supplies and a trip to Kalahari Resorts, an African safari-themed water park in Wisconsin, the complaint alleges.
Other notable expenses included $365 for supplements from Onnit, a health and fitness brand co-owned by Joe Rogan, and multiple $2000 purchases at a Best Buy, according to the complaint. (RELATED: Nearly Three Years And $1,200,000,000,000 Later, Biden Has Almost Nothing To Show For His Biggest Domestic Achievement)
“That complete lack of transparency, in view of the campaign’s prolific spending on clothing, entertainment, vacations, and personal items indicates an obvious effort to conceal personal use by moving funds out of the campaign’s account, ensuring that the actual use of those funds remained hidden from the public,” the complaint alleges.
The complaint further alleges that White’s campaign only listed one official disbursement despite appearing to have a professional website and professionally edited campaign videos which likely would have been paid for in campaign funds. The complaint also alleges that the campaign had multiple lapses in having an official treasurer, an omission it says is a violation of U.S. Code on elections.
“That’s all campaign stuff,” White told the Daily Beast in a response to a question regarding his campaign’s spending. “Every dollar was spent on the campaign for campaign reasons.”
The complaint cites his comment to the Daily Beast.
“If the FEC wants to fine us, that’s completely fine, there are much bigger scams with political campaigns,” he reportedly said regarding his 2022 campaign, according to the complaint.
White, a former NBA player and high draft pick, received the Minnesota GOP endorsement in May to challenge incumbent Democrat Amy Klobuchar for her Senate seat.
