Redfern Did Nothing Wrong

I really don’t understand all the fuss over Chris Redfern’s campaign spending. He did nothing wrong and, actually, it looks like he tried to do everything right- including declaring the expenses involving his wife on his latest campaign finance report.

The Toledo Blade and the Secretary of State seem to agree…

While living together in Columbus before marrying in March, Ohio Rep. Chris Redfern (D., Catawba Island) used campaign cash to pay rent to his then-fiancee.

?I?m damned if I do and damned if I don?t,? said Mr. Redfern, who doubles as chairman of the Ohio Democratic Party. He said he paid his fiancee rent to avoid suggestions he had accepted a gift from a lobbyist, which his wife later became.

?I followed every rule to the letter,? he said.

The secretary of state?s office, which serves as Ohio?s top elections watchdog, agreed that payment of the rent from Mr. Redfern?s House campaign committee did not violate election law.

The fact is: a lot of politicians pay themselves or their family members reimbursements from their campaign money. Republicans and Democrats alike.

Tim Grendell’s campaign, for example, paid him $25,725 in reimbursments. His wife Diane was paid $22,826. And his two kids, James and Kate, were paid $1000 and $820.

And Kevin Coughlin’s campaign paid him $769 in reimbursments for “Parade Candy”.

Strange? Sure. But certainly not illegal.