Royce White, a former NBA player running for Senate with the backing of the Minnesota Republican Party, found himself under fire for his 2022 campaign's reported spending at a strip club. The scrutiny arose from a Federal Election Commission (FEC) filing that detailed expenditures, including over $1,000 spent in a single night at Gold Rush Cabaret in Miami, Florida, not Minnesota. White was questioned about this expense during an interview with David Pakman, where he initially mentioned it was a filing error but later defended it as his staffers visiting the club for food only.
The interview with Pakman saw White evading direct answers and attempting to downplay the controversy surrounding the FEC report. Despite Pakman's insistence on clarifying the nature of the expenditure at the strip club, White maintained that the funds were spent on food available at the establishment rather than on strippers, as implied by the reports. The incident has brought attention to the questionable campaign expenses flagged by The Daily Beast and the Campaign Legal Center, which White's campaign has defended as incomplete filings, suggesting errors in reporting.
The allegations of potentially illegal spending have cast a shadow over White's Senate campaign, which had received endorsements from notable figures such as Steve Bannon and the Minnesota Republican Party. Despite White's attempts to downplay the reports and offer explanations for the expenditures, questions remain about the legality and transparency of his campaign finances, especially with primary elections approaching in August. White's defense of the strip club expense as a meal purchase poses challenges to his credibility and raises concerns about how such spending aligns with FEC guidelines for campaign funds. With polling indicating Senator Amy Klobuchar's strong lead over potential Republican challengers, White's campaign faces an uphill battle in gaining momentum and support in the upcoming elections in Minnesota.
8 Comments
AlanDV
The Left is trying to distract from the real issues by attacking his character and spending.
Vladimir
This is a manufactured scandal by the media to damage his campaign. The FEC filing was just a mistake.
AlanDV
It's not uncommon for campaign staff to eat out, even at places like strip clubs. This is being blown out of proportion.
Vladimir
His campaign is focused on real issues, like the economy, education, and jobs. This is just a distraction.
AlanDV
This is just further evidence that he's unfit to be a senator.
Muchacha
The FEC needs to scrutinize this closely. Campaign spending laws are there for a reason.
Comandante
He's trying to paint this as a 'mistake' but the fact he's defending it speaks volumes about his character.
Coccinella
He needs to come clean about his spending and apologize to the voters.