Washington (CNN) – The Republican National Committee is examining a nearly $2,000 expense at a racy West Hollywood nightclub where scantily-clad female dancers are reputed to mimic sex acts on stage.
"We are investigating the expenditure in question," a spokesman for the RNC said Monday.
The $1,946.25 expenditure from February 4 is listed under "Meals" on the RNC's latest financial disclosure report filed with the Federal Election Commission.
The money was spent at Voyeur, a hip nightclub on Santa Monica Boulevard sometimes visited by starlets like Lindsay Lohan and Heidi Montag.
Club-goers posting on Yelp, the user-generated review Web site, describe the venue as having "voyeurism cages with men and women" and a "dark velvety feel with masked naked models." One user claimed to witness "two girls simulating oral sex in a glass case."
The surprising expenditure was first noted Monday by The Daily Caller in a story about the committee's spending habits.
Though the story suggested that RNC Chairman Michael Steele himself spent the money at the club, a committee spokesman said that was not the case and made clear that Steele considers the expenditure a misuse of party money.
"This was a reimbursement made to a non-committee staffer," the RNC spokesman told CNN when asked about the nightclub. "The Chairman was never at the location in question, he had no knowledge of the expenditure, nor does he find the use of committee funds at such a location at all acceptable."
UPDATE: The Republican consultant who charged the RNC for the club visit has been identified.
From CNN Politics
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The Party of Family Values !!!!!!!!!!
Spending Taxpayer money at strip joint? That's not wasteful spending – it's totally legit!
Spending taxpayer money on healthcare however must be AVOIDED AT ALL COSTS!
This is the GOP Talking Points Mem for the week...
I would expect that all attendees at this club are both publicly acknowledged and dismissed from their positions. Also, it should be clear whether this was a "staff meeting" or whether lobbyists were being entertained.
The GOP ... oh yes, the party of FAMILY values! Of course the Party and the families they really represent are as dysfunctional a group of hypocrites as there exists!
If this was Democrats, the question would be "Why did you only spend $2,000 to help those poor girls?"
Nice to see the GOP lightening up a bit...
Meal expenditure? Hmm.
My only question then becomes do ya suppose they say grace before or after the lap dance?
It's a good thing that Republicans represent themselves as the moral leaders of our country.
So much for those fine family values the Republican party preaches. Seems they can talk morels but can't follow them.
GOP and Republicans are double talk hypocrites!
Why is this not on the front page as you would have for others???? Other newsworthy sites have it listed on Breaking News... Can I say bias???
Family and moral values huh?
Wow! I guess they needed a visit there so they could get all revved up over those immoral democrats in Washington. This is incredible. I am so glad I broke my ties to the Republican Party and the RNC .
$2000 is a lot of money. Lap dances are usually $100 or so (maybe more). Since it is not spending taxpayer money (it is not our business). The RNC needs to investigate it because it is their issue. In the government, if a govt credit card is misused, the user is at least reprimanded and educated on the proper use of the card.
What's the problem? They had receipts.
No knowledge? Yeah, heard that one before. Methinks Steele can't handle his booze.
So what is it, a viagra check for all the GOP committee? Rush give them a place to go to? Beck lead the parade?
Don't know if it's true or not...but it sure made me laugh. I await the results of the investigation...still chuckling.
The party of "family values". It was surely a research trip.
Well spent Mr. Conservative(fiscal or Social) what a hypo?
This is disgusting. The GOP masquerades as a conservative, ethical party which claims the high ground. But, in reality it seems to be nothing but a group of older, white males who are chauvinistic and sexist, and highly judgmental of other political views and lifestyles. That party is quite clearly no longer in the mainstream in the USA.
Surprise, surprise. Not.
WOW, when it comes to our President, he is the one person the republican party holds responsible for all that goes on in the US, especially when it what the (republican) feel is bad. Now that has happen within the republican party, Mr. Steele was no where near the club. I feel for those small guys they will pin this on. Mr. Steele you are the top person or RNC Chairman, so you should be in control, you should know how money is spent and reimburse, or maybe not, maybe you don’t know what is going on right in your own party. Lets see how the republican try and pin this on President Obama.
"Meals."
Yeah, you go ahead and investigate that. I'm sure FOX will get right on that.
How else can you persuade Democrats to vote Republican, if you don't go to where they work!!!
At least they were watching women, and not off molesting pages or practing their "wide stance" in the mens' room...
what would Jesus think?