A newspaper and website published in Washington, D.C. is reporting that Georgia Congressman Sanford Bishop Jr. (D-GA-02) is under intense scrutiny for his use of thousands of dollars worth of taxpayer funds and campaign cash for personal expenses including green fees and initiation fees at country clubs, luxurious trips and Christmas parties.
According to Roll Call, an initial report by the Office of Congressional Reports has prompted a further investigation by the House Ethics Committee into expenditures by Bishop — including the possible expenditure of more than $16,000 in taxpayer money for joint Christmas parties with his congressional staff and his wife’s employees.
U.S. Rep. Sanford Bishop
The OCE report, which was released Friday, breaks the allegations into two categories and Roll Call reports that the investigation is looking into improper use of campaign funds by the Georgia Congressman and impermissible use of Sanford’s Members’ Representational Allowance. The MRA is taxpayer-funded money which can only be used to support official member duties, including office travel and salaries.
According to the report, the allegations of “widespread mismanagement of campaign funds” include the expenditure of more than $213,000 for personal fuel charges for Bishop, his wife and daughter since 2003; over $30,000 in campaign funds for membership dues, range fees among other expenditures and an Albany country club; a $5,000 initiation fee paid with campaign funds for membership to a country club in Columbus; and over $16,200 in campaign funds on meals and golf cart fees at the club.
Roll Call states that the OCE report indicates that “The campaign committee also paid for a $938.07 set of Mizuno JPX irons, and Rep. Bishop was subsequently fitted for these irons during a $50.00, one-hour-plus fitting session with the GICC Golf Pro.”
According to the report, “Bishop took a three-day golf trip in 2018, funded by campaign dollars, to Reynolds Lake Oconee” and he and his guests played three rounds of golf, each costing over $1,000. Their stay at a cottage cost the campaign over $2,300, the report says.
Roll Call reported that “Bishop told the OCE that the purpose of the retreat was to review and critique the previous tournament, identify strengths and weaknesses and plan for (his) 2018 [Golf Classic].” However, according to the report, Bishop was “unable to produce documentation to the OCE showing the trip was campaign related.” Additionally, the report indicates that Bishop said to the OCE “he may have improperly spent campaign funds in Hilton Head, South Carolina, where his family rents a house annually around Christmas.” Bishop spent campaign money on liquor, groceries and greens fees during this time, the OCE report said.
According to the report, in a separate incident, Bishop’s wife withdrew over $600 in campaign money, which he said was mistakenly used to pay for his granddaughter’s school tuition.
The report indicates that Bishop said some of the above expenses were for personal use and Roll Call reports that his attorneys said “Bishop now pays personally for all such memberships and he has reimbursed his Campaign for dues payments and other disbursements made to these country clubs.”
InsiderAdvantage finds it hard to understand how a Congressman who has held that office since 1993 did not know that these expenditures were not allowed.
Bishop is being opposed in the November 3 General Election by pastor and political expert Don Cole, a Republican from Cordele. Cole helped farmer Governor Sonny Perdue and Senator David Perdue win their elections.
