RNC Fires Staffer who Expensed Trip to Bondage-Themed Club
The Republican National Committee has fired the staffer who charged the party committee for the nearly $2,000 bill from an outing at a topless nightclub, Politico reports.
The unnamed staffer was aware the outing was not eligible for reimbursement but nevertheless convinced GOP donor Erik Brown, a California businessman, to pick up the tab and seek out reimbursement, according to Politico. The trip to Voyeur in West Hollywood, a bondage-themed club featuring topless dancers, reportedly followed a RNC event for its "Young Eagles" donors.
Brown has reportedly agreed to pay back the funds.
The RNC said in a statements its "accounting and reimbursement processes are being revised" to prevent such occurrences in the future, Politico reports.
"The incident adds to Republican distractions in what would otherwise be a promising election cycle for the party," writes Aaron Blake of the Hill, noting a number of missteps from the RNC, such as a recent fundraising presentation that featured crude caricatures of Democrats.
The RNC spent about $15 million more than it raised last year, the Hill reports.
