Report: Outgoing Sen. Sinema Spent Richly on Travel, Meals

The campaign of Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, I-Ariz., spent big money on travel over the last quarter, including trips to Japan, France and the United Kingdom despite the lawmaker’s decision not to seek re-election, the New York Post reported Wednesday.

Sinema billed about $216,000 for travel between July 1 and Sept. 30, $152,000 for security-related expenses and more on meals, including $1,262 for one meal at Nobu Tokyo, her latest campaign finance report showed.

Sinema, who in March announced she wouldn’t seek a second term, was in Normandy for the 80th anniversary of D-Day in June, visited Tokyo in July and attended the Olympics in Paris in August.

Her campaign closed out September with approximately $5 million cash on hand.

It’s not the first time Sinema’s spending has been in the spotlight — in February Fox News reported that she spent more than $200,000 on taxpayer-funded flights. During that time, she didn’t hold one public town hall with constituents.

Sinema in 2017 openly supported the No Ongoing Perks Enrichment Act, which sought “to prohibit the use of funds provided for the official travel expenses of Members of Congress and other officers and employees of the legislative branch for first-class airline accommodations.”

Sinema’s Senate office and campaign did not immediately respond to requests for comment, according to the Post.