Ron Paul reports spending $322,000 on deceased campaign in May

According to the latest campaign finance reports filed Friday, Rep. Ron Paul, the 72-year-old libertarian-like Republican congressman from Texas who ended his hopeless presidential race recently to focus on a long-shot, long-term revolution, still managed to spend $321,983 on his White House campaign in its last month.

Paul, a Republican who refuses to acknowledge Arizona Sen. John McCain as the winner of the GOP nomination, ended May with $4.5 million in the bank after all expenses, according to The Times' diligent Dan Morain, who combs through all these political numbers each month.

Paul's fund-raising slowed significantly in May, at least into his presidential account. He reported receipts of only $133,215, a sharp drop from the nearly $20 million he raised in the fourth quarter of 2007 to lead all GOP presidential candidates.

Altogether, Paul has reported net contributions of $34.34 million since early 2007 and campaign expenditures of $29.97 million. He ended the effort with about 1.1 million primary votes, perhaps 24 delegates, no debt and refused to accept federal matching funds for his primary campaign.

If the 10-term congressman holds on to those delegates for the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minn., in early November, that works out to about $1.24 million per delegate, more than moneybags Mitt or New York Rudy spent per delegate won in their losing causes.

Click on the Read more line below to see a detailed accounting of Paul's May spending, which includes $236 for a security hotel room, $14,305.74 for an unidentified credit card payment and $60 for a consultant, which means he wasn't employing Mark Penn.

--Andrew Malcolm

Photo credit: Eric Thayer / Getty Images

Detailed expense accounting of Rep. Ron Paul's presidential campaign, May 2008

ACCOUNTING SERVICES    4,255.50 
AIRLINE TRAVEL    37,068.40 
BANQUET TICKETS    1,875.00 
BOOKS/MAGAZINES    712.67 
BOOTH RENTAL    500.00 
BULK PRINTING    2,141.61 
CATERING    892.66 
COMPUTER ACCESS SERVICE    11.95 
COMPUTER SUPPLIES/EXPENSE    425.00 
CONSULTING    60.00 
CONSULTING-POLITICAL FIELD WORK    25,195.00 
CONTRIBUTION REFUND    80,786.91 
CONVENTION SPONSORSHIP    500.00 
CREDIT CARD CONTRIBUTIONS PROCESSING FEE    5,026.93 
CREDIT CARD PAYMENT    14,305.74 
EMAIL SERVICES    3,360.00 
FOOD EXPENSE    4,002.68 
FREIGHT/SHIPPING EXPENSES    8,207.51 
GASOLINE    518.38 
GENERAL POSTAGE EXPENSE    2,424.58 
LIST RENTAL/PURCHASE    200.00 
MEDIA EXPENSE    2,096.48 
MILEAGE EXPENSE    1,428.85 
NEWSPAPER ADS    2,882.00 
OFFICE SUPPLIES    1,463.14 
PARKING EXPENSE    596.89 
PAYROLL PROCESSING FEES    243.19 
PAYROLL TAX EXPENSE    50,634.51 
PHOTO SHOOT    300.00 
POLITICAL FIELD WORK    182.00 
REIMBURSE PHONE EXPENSE    177.55 
REIMBURSEMENT EXPENSES    22,861.38 
RENT EXPENSE    20,034.88 
SALARIES    62,452.59 
SECURITY ACCOMMODATIONS    246.00 
SERVICE CHARGE    270.00 
SOFTWARE MAINTENANCE    862.52 
TELECOMMUNICATIONS    2,247.03 
TELEPHONE EXPENSE    2,309.14 
TRAVEL EXPENSE    1,448.46 
TRAVEL-CAR RENTAL    631.30 
TRAVEL-HOTEL ACCOMMODATIONS    3,678.81 
TRAVEL-TAXI EXPENSE    349.00 
UTILITIES    814.15 
VIDEO/DVD PROCESSING    650.00 
WEB DESIGN/HOSTING/MAINT    12,649.02

Photo credit: Wire Image

Comments

[Jeremy Maddock]

"If the 10-term congressman holds onto those delegates for the Republican National Convention in St. Paul in early November, that works out to about $1.24 million per delegate, more than moneybags Mitt or New York Rudy spent per delegate won in their losing causes."

To the best of my recollection, Rudy Giuliani won 0 delegates. So your logic doesn't really makes sense.

As for Ron Paul, his ideas were unfortunately marginalized by the other candidates and the media. It's sad to see how easily freedom can be marginalized in America today.

[Sandra]

McCain had to cheat with every dollar he wasn't supposed to get, broke EVERY rule in campaign finance reform he himself helped craft, Yet your talking about Ron Paul being in the black after his campaign ends?

[Bo Cappella]

"...longshot, longterm revolution"?

The Lame-Stream Media strikes again. Sorry to see that the LA Times' Andrew Malcolm is just another neo-con mouthpiece that believes that Americans aren't deserving of the liberty for which our Founders fought the British in two wars.

If I were a subscriber, I'd say "cancel!"

If I were the EIC, I'd say "Malcolm, you're fired."

[David]

Sad state of affairs when the LA TIimes needs to stoop this low and continue its attack on a man that is trying to save freedom and liberty. Everytime I see an article like this, I have to look at the publisher as just another pall bearer for the funeral of The Constitution.

[Crystal]

You state:
"Longshot, longterm revolution"
Well over 60,000 people have already signed on to www.campaignforliberty.com just a little over a week after its announcement!
Doesn't sound like its a "longshot or short-term revolution to me.
Just another media play-down...

"the advertisement is the most truthful part of a newspaper" -Thomas Jefferson

[Rexblade]

Hey Andrew maybe you should try doing some real journalism like informing the people that the war was based on lies which means George W is guilty of causing the deaths of 100's of thousands of innocent people. Ron Paul has more integrity in his pinky then anything you've ever written. Your conservative? And attack Ron Paul? You've been neo-conned man.

[PHILMAN]

LOL...Im surprised you still have a job with latimes

I doubt many people even read your garbage

[daniel makin]

good job mr paul,,, maybe some of the slime in washington can take lessons on how to be consrevative... i relize this letter was to bash mr paul but were is everyone else expense sheets,,, i think for what happend this is very conservative and if my grandaughter did as much work as his i would have paid much more,,, this man is a true hero to me daniel makin

[spinnikerca]

"If the 10-term congressman holds onto those delegates for the Republican National Convention in St. Paul in early November, that works out to about $1.24 million per delegate, more than moneybags Mitt or New York Rudy spent per delegate won in their losing causes."

Funny, I thought Rudy one only one delegate and spent upwards of $15 million... I don't recall the exact number, but I'm pretty sure that one is 'conservative'.

Have you seen Ron Paul's new campaign that he started a week ago? http://www.campaignforliberty.com/ He wanted 100,000 members by September 2, and already has over 60,000. The campaign is to educate, oppose unconstitutional legislation and support Constitutional legislation and sound economic policy, and to elect like minded politicians to office.

Join us?

Who knows, there might be a story in it....

[Rik]

0 for Rudy and he spent million upon millions of dollars (hilarious). Malcolm is a funny chap. When I started reading his entries a few months ago, he was very supportive of Paul and almost seemed to envy and want to be a part of the adventure. Now, however, Mr. Malcolm seems to enjoy disecting the financials. One has to wonder...Malcolm will you pull the lever for Obama or McCain? The expansion of the welfare state or the expansion of war?
Read about Austrian economics, learn foreign policy and involve yourselves people.

[Ryan]

$80,000 of this was refunds for excess contributions. This can hardly be considered "campaign spending". It is money that the campaign could have had, if it had not been for McCain-Feingold's contribution cap.

[fazsha]

I donated money to his campaign and I'm proud to have him spend every cent. I know Ron Paul preaches the message of liberty and fiscal responsibility and I know it's going to a great cause. Spend away!

[Chris H]

I hope he spends millions this month! http://www.campaignforliberty.com

[ladiliberty]

Speaking of longshots the newspaper is surely a longshot success as well as its rhetorical propagandistic writers that profess to be Journalists.
I think its very sad when one writes against the constitution of our REPUBLIC! I'd think an educated person would defend any defender of our Constitution, perhaps thats too ethical and logically intelligent for you to wrap your brain around though...

Andrew Malcolm I hear the National enquirer is hiring writers that can't write factually...Sir you are a sorry excuse of Journalist skills!

[Jeffrey]

The undeclared war in Iraq costs the US people that amount every 3 minute of every day and night.
Please write about that with an itemized list.

[Mitchell]

This guy's a very smart man. He knows who feeds the monkey and will do anything to make his handlers happy. What was it that Samuel Adam's said?

"If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude than the animated contest of freedom — go home from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains sit lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen!"

[Tannim]

Hey, Malcolm, can you write even ONE article about Dr. Paul without adding a snarky comment, or does you paycheck depend on being a jerk?

Can you be objective for once, or does your advanced-stage mental decline require a perpetual cranky state and hardening of the attitude?

And your boy Maretlle is no better!

[Tannim]

The 10-term congressman will hold on to those delegates for the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minn., in early November.

Click on the Read more line below to see a detailed accounting of Paul's May spending.

--NOT Andrew Malcolm"

Any questions? No, Mr. Malcom, use pen, not crayon.

[Matt]

. . . I like Ron.

He's much more positively influential than you, anyways . . .

[Thomas]

Where is the usual wit?

[Free2Smooze]

Rudy spent 54million and won 1 delegate. RCP has Ron Paul at 45 delegates or about 700,000 per. How exactly did you conclude that Paul spent more than Rudy? I'm used to sloppy journalism but to lie in the face of easily researched facts makes you a propagandist, not a journalist.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republican_primary_campaign_08

[ellen]

I have to measure this campaign in other terms. I discovered I am a libertarian-leaning American, who is also pro-life. I had previously thought I was a Republican (mainly because I was pro-life), who took strong issue with some hawkishness and illiberalism in the Republican platform. This is a sea change, for me.

My grown kids are reading "The Revolution:A Manifesto" (as well as the platforms of the other candidates), and voting in primaries (for Ron Paul !). I took the step of becoming a delegate and discovered a whole new part of the political process. I am, shall we say, "activated".

Guess what? There are lots of people out there just like me. Dr. Paul "cured my apathy"--except I was never really apathetic--just kind of dispirited. The actions of "big brother" have become so heavy-handed during the last several years, that many, many people are becoming restless. Something new is afoot, and Ron Paul deserves the credit for channeling this vague disquietude into real learning and political action!

The results of this election cycle can be quantified as you have done, above, but I believe your calculations are way off the mark, as future election cycles will make clear.

"Change" has, indeed occurred, and is still happening. It doesn't have much to do with Barack Obama, either!

[Freedom07777]

This article illustrates a major problem in America. The public does not understand that they have no right to confiscate money, energy, and freedom from their neighbors.

[Mike]

Just another media elitist who thinks he's better than the rest of us. Unfortunately for this gutterball Malcolm, the LA times is falling off a cliff in circulation and the "old media" as represented here as REPRESENTED by this agenda-driven article increasingly shows its irrelevance in today's world. Thank God for the internet, the great equalizer in today's world. We can only hope this Macolm won't have a job too much longer.

[Hyrum]

Your not very good at journalism. Try fiction. Its right up your ally.