Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics based the charges on an article that appeared in The Sunday Star-Ledger last month
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Rep. Rob Andrews was slammed Wednesday by a Washington watchdog group after reports surfaced in The Star-Ledger that the congressman gave nearly $9,000 in campaign funds to attend a donor's wedding.TRENTON — Charging U.S. Rep. Rob Andrews "knowingly and willfully" violated the law when he spent campaign funds to take his family to Scotland for the wedding of a donor and advisor, a Washington watchdog group Wednesday filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission.
In the eight-page complaint, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) also accused Andrews of breaking federal campaign law by using his account to pay for part of a celebration at his home marking a daughter’s high school graduation and his 20 years in Congress.
In addition, the complaint cited donations to Philadelphia theaters that gave roles to his other daughter, an aspiring actress and pop singer, and for having her accompany him on fund-raising trips to California in which Andrews said she helped his campaign but also participated in activities relating to her acting and singing career.
The group based the charges on an article that appeared in The Sunday Star-Ledger on Nov. 20 that described the unorthodox campaign spending habits of the South Jersey congressman (D-1st District).
"It’s one of the worst (examples) I’ve seen of someone just treating their campaign funds like personal piggy banks," Melanie Sloan, the executive director of CREW, said.
Andrews has insisted he did nothing unethical or illegal by using the funds, but last week he said he would donate about $9,000 — the amount he spent on the trip to Scotland in June — most of which went toward the $7,725 cost of the three-night stay at the five-star Balmoral Hotel.
The wedding comprised one leg of a larger European vacation the Andrews family took last summer, and the rest of the trip was paid for with personal funds.
Andrews Wednesday called the complaint filed by CREW "baseless."
"Since I have had the honor of serving in public office, in all respects at all times, I have followed both the spirit and the letter of campaign finance laws," he said in a statement. "The campaign has fully complied with all laws with respect to the proper expenditure and disclosure of campaign funds. All personal aspects of any expenditures or activities have always been paid in full from our family’s personal funds."
Andrews and his wife, Camille, earned more than $500,000 in 2010.
The 54-year-old Andrews has served in the House since 1990. He represents one of the safest Democratic districts in the state, allowing him to virtually coast to re-election every two years. During his career, he has raised $14.2 million for his campaigns, according to the Center for Responsive Politics, including $280,000 so far this year as of September.
This is not the first time Sloan’s group has been critical of Andrews. In 2009, it filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission because he charged nearly $1,000 in clothing to his campaign account. Andrews had reimbursed the expense, which he said he incurred because an airline lost his luggage.
While the commission found he violated the law, it dismissed the case on the ground the amount was too small to pursue.
Sloan said her current complaint could be considered by the commission, which could impose a civil penalty or take other remedial action, or turn it over to the Department of Justice for possible criminal prosecution.
"I think he has a bigger problem because he’s been warmed before and clearly kept doing it," she said. "I wouldn’t be surprised if they decided to audit all his expenses. Who knows what else we didn’t catch?"
Shortly after the article appeared in The Star-Ledger, the chairman of the Camden County Republican Party, Tom Booth, asked the House Committee on Ethics to investigate the matter, but said he had not yet received a response.
"I would love a public office to raise money into a campaign fund so I could pay my daughter’s ballet, my son’s prescription medications, my daughter’s field hockey equipment," Booth said. "And hell, let’s throw in a dinner with the old lady at the Capital Grille down here for good measure."