Saturday, July 18, 2015

Donors foot tab as Billy Long makes rounds of Vegas casinos


Billy Long has yet to have a real town hall meeting in four and a half years as Seventh District Congressman, but thanks to his campaign contributors he was able to fit in at least four trips to Las Vegas during the last three months, including a first-hand inspection of numerous casinos.

Long's quarterly financial disclosure report, filed Wednesday with the Federal Election Commission (FEC), shows Long made two Vegas trips in April and was there for a week-long stay in Sin City during June, 

The Congressman's campaign contributors, most of them political action committees paid the tab for Long's hotel stays, meals, and taxi fare, according to the report.

Long's Vegas trips started at the beginning of the reporting period with a stay at the Venitian Hotel and Casion on April 1. That trip, which appears to be the shortest stay, included a $117.79 meal at the Southwest Steakhouse, a favorite dining destination for Long during previous Las Vegas trips.

Long stayed at the luxury Wynn Las Vegas during which records indicate was a four-day visit to the city beginning April 24 , with the biggest meal being for $882.77 at Southwest Steakhouse.

Long spent more time at the Wynn beginning June 20, running up a bill of $2,639.50.

Long also stayed at the Wynn during a  junket that lasted from June 26-30, paying $2,923.81 for lodging. During that trip, the Congressman's contributors paid for him to have meals at the Cosmopolitan, the MGM Grand, the Four Queens Hotel and Casino, the Grand Lux Cafe, and Caesar's Palace.

A meal wasn't all the donors paid for at Caesar's Palace. The report shows $6,803.28 for "event tickets" at the casino and on the same day, the Long campaign made a "credit card payment" for $6,389.25.

Long's quarterly report also included nearly $10,000 for meals.

(Art by the now-defunct Bungalow Bill blog)
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5 comments:

  1. Anonymous9:36 PM

    Las Vegas is where the voters are!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous7:26 AM

    He is obviously doing what works. As long as he keeps getting voted in......

    Don't hate the playa, hate the game.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous11:35 AM

    $10,000.00 FOR MEALS. No wonder in Vegas he is considered a whale.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Anonymous8:35 AM

    Billy's got to eat...

    ReplyDelete
  5. Anonymous1:07 PM

    Of course, you are lying out your teeth here. You don't have any idea what this money was for and you don't care because you are a liar. I am no Long supporter and have never voted for him but truth is truth (something you know nothing about). From reading readily available materials I understand that most of this money was spent for fund raising. In other words, Long uses campaign donations to hold fund raising events during which he spends say $10,000 on food, tickets, etc., and invites contributors who each spend an amount of money, to attend. They are his supporters. This is EXACTLY how it is supposed to be done and is perfectly legal. YOU are attempting to make it look like he is simply spending campaign money on Vegas trips and gambling which would be illegal. You are lying sleaze.

    ReplyDelete