Assemblyman Chad Christensen on Wednesday called accusations that he used $18,000 in campaign funds to set up a personal business "a pathetic joke."
During a two-hour interview with the Sun, Christensen, R-Las Vegas, went over every receipt he submitted last year for reimbursement by campaign funds -- a total of more than $18,000.
He is missing about $100 in receipts that he said he lost over the months, something his CPA, Richard Bowler, said was natural after a long period of time.
The bulk of the money went for meals, travel expenses, computers and mileage that Christensen said were related to his legislative service.
The Secretary of State's office is investigating Christensen's spending after receiving a complaint from a constituent who said she was concerned that Christensen cut checks from his campaign the same day he incorporated his consulting business.
Christensen, who filed the receipts in response to a request from the Secretary of State's office, said he was paying himself back for previous expenses, which he failed to detail on his campaign finance report.
Nevada's laws regulate campaign money but are vague on how candidates can spend it, specifying simply that the monies should not go to "personal" use. Campaign money is raised from donors, there is no taxpayer money included.
A sampling of the receipts show he rented two SUVs to drive his family to Carson City for his swearing in; paid for dry cleaning; two car washes and computer equipment.
Some political watchers said they aren't as liberal with using campaign cash for personal money, others said it sounded like Christensen's expenses were legitimate.
The statutes on how to spend campaign cash are "vague" said Dale Erquiaga, a lead strategist for R&R Partners and a former deputy to the Secretary of State.
Erquiaga, who consultants candidates on campaigns, said he tells people that as long as they document how they spent their money, they probably will pass muster with the secretary of state's office.
"When people get into trouble is when they don't report it," he said.
Christensen initially failed to fully report his campaign spending and the secretary of state's office asked for a full accounting.
Christensen collected thousands of dollars in mileage, saying he logged about 9,000 miles on campaign or legislative business.
His district ranges from the California border to Summerlin and North Las Vegas. He said he documents the miles he puts on his car.
Christensen said reimbursement for travel was typical for lawmakers.
Legislators from Southern Nevada receive about $7,500 per session to cover their rent in Carson City, furniture rentals, and travel to and from the state capital.
Many legislators run out of the money before the session ends. Some, like Christensen, then use campaign funds to cover the difference.
Christensen said he was up and down the state every weekend, and purchased some last minute, high-priced plane tickets during the session when his wife had their fourth son.
"I probably had more travel on mine than the average," he said.
Christensen also billed for several meals, many at Burger King. The law allows lawmakers to expense meals bought while they are campaigning or working on legislative business. Christensen said he likes to purchase meals when he is meeting with campaign workers or people who are coordinating his fund-raisers.
Christensen said he has several bills from last year when he was actively talking to fund-raisers and perspective donors last fall because he had a goal to raise $100,000 by the end of the year.
He also made bigger purchases.
On Aug. 16, Christensen paid for computer equipment at Ultimate Electronics that totaled $1,718. Two days later, he bought more office equipment at Fry's Electronics for $1,000.
He said he was setting up his campaign office and can't use legislative computers for campaign work.
Assemblywoman Chris Giunchigliani, D-Las Vegas, who is chairwoman of the Elections, Procedures and Ethics Committee, said she tries to be more careful when spending campaign cash.
She and Sen. Dina Titus, D-Las Vegas, both said they don't record mileage when campaigning. Giunchigliani compared the situation to "the old adage -- just because you can doesn't mean you should."
"That's how I handle it," she said. "I don't use my campaign funds for dry cleaning."
Ultimately, several political watchers said, it's up to a legislator's personal preference on how to spend campaign money.
Assemblyman Minority Leader Lynn Hettrick, R-Gardnerville, an investment manager, said he doesn't wear suits unless he's in the Legislature or at a funeral. So he said he has spent thousands on clothing for the legislative session because he otherwise wouldn't buy a suit.
"The basic rule is pretty clear," Hettrick said. "As long as you don't personally benefit or it's something that you wouldn't have bought otherwise, than it should be acceptable so long as it pertains, obviously, to your political office."
The secretary of state's office has said its investigation into Christensen's campaign finances could be wrapped up by next week. The investigation was prompted by a complaint filed by one of Christensen's constituents.
Christensen said he thinks he will be cleared. The problem, he said, is that the finance report he filed in January did not show that he paid for those expenses and, later, cut himself checks to reimburse himself.
Christensen said he didn't turn over documentation when the allegations first surfaced because it took several weeks to get receipts and cancelled checks from his bank and another few weeks for his CPA to look over the materials.
"It's their busiest time of the year," he said.
Christensen blames the fallout on his political situation -- after voting against the gaming industry on a key tax decision last summer, Christensen has been marked by some as a target this election year.
He did take responsibility for signing the campaign finance report that was sent to the secretary of state's office in January, which did not reflect the money he put out to his campaign.
"I feel like I've been butchered in the press," Christensen said. "I initiated that -- at the end of the day I signed a document that said this is accurate."
Christensen claimed that not a single donor or constituent has voiced concern to him about publicized allegations that he misused the money.
"That just goes to show me that those who are most concerned about this are my opponents and people in the media," he said.
He also said he thought the receipts will spell out his case.
"If anything, my donors, as this kind of information is released, will respect that it's Burger King and not the Four Seasons every lunch meeting," he said.
archive