Republicans are so funny, what with their family values and everything:
U.S. Sen. David Vitter can use campaign funds to pay some legal costs from his involvement in an escort service scandal, according to a draft opinion prepared for the Federal Election Commission.
The commission is scheduled to take up the issue Thursday, when it can adopt the report, make changes or ask its staff to redo the recommendation.
The legal expenses stemmed from the Louisiana Republican being tied to a Washington, D.C., escort service operated by Deborah Palfrey, who was convicted of running a prostitution ring that catered to the powerful. She committed suicide about two weeks after her conviction.
Vitter has acknowledged involvement with the service and apologized for what he called a “very serious sin” but has dodged follow-up questions.
He was not charged in the case and attorneys ultimately did not call him to testify at Palfrey’s trial, though they said they might.
Vitter’s lawyers asked the FEC to rule on whether the senator could use campaign funds to pay about $207,000 in legal costs, and whether his campaign committee could reimburse Vitter $70,000 for fees he already paid.
I am sure people will be lining up to fund his re-eRection efforts. Thank God Vitter has co-sponsored the anti-gay marriage bill, or we might lose our moral bearings.