Vulnerable Dem Senator Drops Thousands of Dollars on European Fundraising Trip
One Democratic U.S. senator has waged his re-election fight in the swanky hotels of Paris and London.
Sen. Doug Jones of Alabama, facing re-election this November, spent about $3,500 on a trip that included $487 for one night at the K+K Hotel Cayre in Paris and $1,296 at the Baglioni Hotel in London, according to Federal Election Commission records accessed by Fox News.
Federal rules forbid foreigners from donating to American political candidates, but Americans living abroad are able to donate.
“Democrats Abroad” hosted a fundraiser in Paris on Dec. 7.
A lot of constituents in Paris Senator @DougJones ?
Democratic Sen. Doug Jones spent $3,500 on European trip, billed reelection campaign | Fox News https://t.co/el740kDEbJ
— Pax Rasmussen (@paxras6) March 2, 2020
Overall, Democrats living abroad have given Jones about $100,000.
A statement Democrats Abroad emailed to Fox News said the foreign trips are a standard part of elections.
“Republican and Democratic candidates for the U.S. House and Senate often meet with Americans living abroad during their travels around the world,” the statement said.
“Any fundraising is required to be reported to the FEC and will be detailed in candidates’ FEC reports.
“By law, Republican and Democratic candidates may only accept contributions from American citizens.”
Americans living abroad pumped $2.6 million into the 2016 elections, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.
Of that, about two-thirds went to Democratic candidates, making overseas donors the equivalent of the 12th-largest state in terms of Democratic donations.
Jones was vilified by President Donald Trump after Jones joined the Democratic bandwagon and voted to remove Trump from office during Trump’s impeachment trial.
“So good to see that Republicans will be winning the Great State of Alabama Senate Seat back, now that lightweight Senator @DougJones cast a partisan vote for the Impeachment Hoax. Thought his boss, Cryin’ Chuck, would have forced him to vote against the Hoax. A Do Nothing Stiff!” Trump wrote.
So good to see that Republicans will be winning the Great State of Alabama Senate Seat back, now that lightweight Senator @DougJones cast a partisan vote for the Impeachment Hoax. Thought his boss, Cryin’ Chuck, would have forced him to vote against the Hoax. A Do Nothing Stiff!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 9, 2020
Jones, who was elected over Republican candidate Roy Moore in a 2017 special election, admitted after impeachment that his vote became part of a wider Democratic effort against Trump, according to Yellowhammer News.
“They wanted him impeached from the time he took his hand off the Bible,” Jones said of Trump.
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