Reid used donations to reward condo staff

WASHINGTON – Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid has been using campaign donations instead of his personal money to pay bonuses for the support staff at the Ritz-Carlton where he lives in an upscale condominium, the Associated Press has found.

Reid gave $600 from his re-election campaign in 2002, $1,200 in 2004 and $1,500 in 2005 to an entity listed as the REC Employee Holiday Fund. His campaign listed the expenses as campaign “salary” for two of the years and as a “contribution” one year.

Reid’s office said the listing as salary was a “clerical error” and the use of campaign money for the residential fund was approved by his lawyers.

“I am reimbursing the campaign from my own pocket to prevent this issue from being used in the current campaign season to deflect attention from Republican failures,” he said.

Residents and workers at the Ritz said the fund’s full name is the Residents Executive Committee Holiday Fund and that it collects money each year from the condominium residents to help provide Christmas gifts, bonuses and a party for the support staff.

Federal election law permits campaigns to provide “gifts of nominal value” but prohibits candidates from using political donations for personal expenses, such as the mortgage, rent or utilities for “any part of any personal residence.”