[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2010/images/01/10/art.steele0110.gi.jpg caption ="A Republican National Committee spokesman told CNN that RNC Chairman Michael Steele considers the money spent at a West Hollywood nightclub a misuse of party money."]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.
ooops! Probably just a staffer rubbing elbows with Rush and Beck during a "meal". 🙂
If this expense was "meals" I wonder what the lodging per diem looks like...
As a Republican, I have no problem if they were there.
Fiscal Conservatism!
The GOP should just lay low until around September. When a group becomes over exposed things come out. Just lay low
Now is the time to start on a new health bill that will fix the problems of the one just passed. Don't wait since time is important. The Dems have been saying that people are dying all the time without good health care. Let's pass a new law that addresses good health care, not health insurance.
Typical. This is after all the God-fearing party.
Just to be Frank, this is kinda funny when you think about what some of our congress men have done with their interns.
yet another problem with republicans. why do they shoot themselves in the foot. i havent heard too many good things about republicans since bush took office, and that also wasnt a good thing. They need to start over. Get rid of this Tea Party, Sarah Palin, every republican who is past 60 years old. i used to be a republican but i cant attach my name to this terrible sect anymore.
I'm not surprised.
Those good "Chrisitian" values the Repubs are always preaching.
Sounds like another typical "family values" moment for the Republican Party ...
This proves once again that democrats are just plain jealous of all people that have some fun. Of course Obama spending over a million dollars so we can not see his school transcripts is not a problem, Right? Every time I hear that he graduated from Harvard I laugh that he can't prove it.
Fiscal Conservatives....right?
Typical.
I'll be glad when the whole Republican party is nothing more than a black mark in our history books.
Is this the party that is going to help take our country back?
Family Values at its best.
"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."
So, if it wasn't Steele himself, who used his credit card illegally, who signed the receipt, why were the charges reimbursed, and to whom? Seems like a bit more investigating should be done before Mr Steele's words are to be taken as truthful.
Huh. Go figure.
Wonder how this will go over with the Base?
Imagine that.
And Poloticians are wondering why they are getting threats.
why am I not surprised? I'm sure the democrats have similar questionable "expenses", but it's the republicans who always say they have the moral high ground.
Conservative spending at its best. The ultimate hypocrit. We should audit
on both sides of the aisle.
I knew the republicans were no good. They complained about the HC, but they used the tax payer money to go to night club. Shame on you republicans.
It really doesn't matter that Steele wasn't directly involved. He has been such an embarrassment to the party I used to love, with his "hip hop" nonsense and sucking up to the Tea Party, that I can't wait until he disappears. They needed to cut their losses with him a couple of years ago, instead of allowing his clueless regime stay in place.