Utah Stories

Over Seven Days at Disney World, Rep. Mia Love Used a lot of Campaign Funds

Advocate recalls Love’s usage last term of taxpayer money regarding flights.

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Photo by Stacie Scott of the Deseret News

Records from an independent regulatory agency that enforces campaign finance law show that Rep. Mia Love tapped her campaign account over seven days in Disney World from early March to early April.

Among the $9,727 she spent was $1,655 for lodging and $4,780 for food and beverage, according to Federal Election Commission records. (See the chart below.)

Love was at the theme park March 6, 17, 26 and April 5-8, according to the documentation.

Love campaign manager Dave Hansen claimed that Love was fundraising.

“There were fundraising events down there,” he said.

Katie Matheson, chair of the Utah’s CD4 Coalition, pointed out that Love used taxpayer money two years ago concerning flights of $537 and $1,100.

“That’s a pattern of behavior,” Matheson said. “That’s pretty miraculous.”

The expenditures were for flights Love never used and travel to a White House Correspondents’ Dinner, respectively. Love claimed she reimbursed taxpayers. Utah’s CD4 Coalition is seeking to replace Love with a progressive in the House of Representatives from Utah’s congressional district 4.

“I don’t think we can look to her for any kind of moral leadership when we see (actions) like this going on,” Matheson said. “It’s a great indicator of the type of behavior we should expect from her should she be re-elected.”

I first called Love Communications Director Rich Piatt before he provided Hansen’s phone number. I immediately called Hansen. There was no answer and the voicemail was full, so I couldn’t leave a message. I called Love’s office back to confirm the number with Piatt before an intern said that Piatt had just gone out of the office, on another call. I then called Hansen’s number again and he answered.

According to documents from The Townsend Group, an administrative services consultancy business, Love was at the theme park from April 6-9. But Love was not there on the 9th, according to FEC documents.

 

Disbursements                                                                                                                   (Federal Elections Commission)
Recipient Street City State Date Amount Purpose
WALT DISNEY WORLD RESORT ORLANDO FL 3/6/2017 $1,093.50 LODGING
WALT DISNEY WORLD RESORT ORLANDO FL 3/17/2017 $1,655.35 LODGING
WALT DISNEY WORLD RESORT ORLANDO FL 3/17/2017 $389.79 LODGING
WALT DISNEY WORLD RESORT ORLANDO FL 3/26/2017 -$546.75 LODGING
WALT DISNEY WORLD RESORT ORLANDO FL 4/5/2017 $4,779.60 FOOD/BEVERAGE
WALT DISNEY WORLD RESORT ORLANDO FL 4/5/2017 $304.97 LODGING
WALT DISNEY WORLD RESORT ORLANDO FL 4/6/2017 $546.75 LODGING
WALT DISNEY WORLD RESORT ORLANDO FL 4/7/2017 $373.83 LODGING
HOLLYWOOD & VINE 351 S STUDIO DRIVE ORLANDO FL 4/8/2017 $476.84 FOOD/BEVERAGE
WALT DISNEY WORLD RESORT ORLANDO FL 4/8/2017 $198.28 LODGING
Total: $9,272.16

 

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