up in smoke

Madison Cawthorn’s $1,812 cigar shopping spree just landed him a possible $17,141 fine from the FEC

 

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Madison Cawthorn woke up to some pretty crappy news today. And by “pretty crappy news” we actually mean he’s facing a possible $17,000 fine from the Federal Election Commission.

The outgoing anti-LGBTQ congressman, who recently voted against codifying same-sex marriage into federal law, reportedly burned through more money than he actually had in his campaign accounts earlier this year and now the FEC is coming for him. Eep!

Related: It sure looks like Madison Cawthorn broke campaign finance laws and now he’s screwed

The Asheville Citizen-Times reports:

Cawthorn’s paperwork showed a campaign that through June 30 spent more than it brought in, despite a $207,858 donation from the personal funds of the 27-year-old first-term Henderson County congressman. Among places donors’ money was used was $1,812 spent at a tobacco shop.

A total of $248,098 was refunded to contributors, likely because they gave money to be spent for the Nov. 8 general election for the 11th House District covering Western North Carolina. Cawthorn will not participate in that contest after being defeated in the May 17 Republican primary by state Sen. Chuck Edwards.

Related: Madison Cawthorn lands starring role in his very own ethics investigation

According to the FEC website’s fine calculator, Cawthorn could owe as much as $17,141, although FEC commissioners will vote to determine what the actual fine will be. It might end up being less. Still, this isn’t good for the broke North Carolina representative.

Last month, an anonymous insider told the Daily Beast that Cawthorn’s campaign was so strapped for cash by the end of his failed primary in May that it was forced to dip into general campaign fund money.

Related: Madison Cawthorn, thoroughly humiliated, just flipped on Donald Trump in the most pathetic way

“Nobody ever did the math, which baffled me because the spending was so outrageous,” the source said, noting that the lawmaker also spent $1,500 in “egregiously” frequent trips to Chick-Fil-A and almost $3,000 at a place called Papa’s Beer, in addition to the nearly $2,000 he blew at the cigar shop and another $21,000 on hotels in Florida.

Related: Madison Cawthorn’s ex-staffer just spilled a whole pot of tea: “I have a LOT of good stories”

Cawthorn ultimately lost his primary thanks, in large part, to that leaked video of him humping his male cousin’s face in a hotel room.

Now, some tweets…

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