The latest news on this front comes from a really interesting article at Issue One by William Gray:

A new report today released by Issue One and Campaign Legal Center (CLC) shows that instead of doling out funds to political allies, members of Congress routinely use leadership PAC funds to pay for expensive meals, rounds of golf, and luxury hotel stays — often under the guise of fundraising. During the final three months of 2018 alone, some members of Congress used leadership PACs to pay for trips to Puerto Rico and London, dues to exclusive social clubs, tickets to the Churchill Downs racetrack (home of the Kentucky Derby), and stays at the Trump International Hotel in Washington, D.C. — all while not giving the majority of their funds away to other candidates.

This continues the trend identified by the groups’ original July 2018 report that revealed that less than 50% of overall leadership PAC spending in recent years – according to data from the Center for Responsive Politics – has actually gone toward the purposes originally approved by the Federal Election Commission (FEC) – namely, contributions to candidates and political groups.

“Leadership PACs are a decades-long ethics scandal in Congress that should outrage every American,” said Issue One Executive Director Meredith McGehee. “Members of Congress should embrace bipartisan legislation to curb the abuses of leadership PACs.”

See full story here.