How Do Candidates Spend After the Election?

We've all read campaign finance reports, but what happens to a candidate's war chest when the election is all said and done?

Wilder Fleming and Jack Sullivan at Commonwealth Magazine explored that question in an article last July, finding “former officeholders (spent) their unused campaign donations on a wide range of items and services, from cups of coffee and leased espresso machines to paintings, cars, cell phones, political contributions, and even holiday cash bonuses.”

The article closes with a focus on former Melrose State Rep. and current politico Michael Festa, who the duo said “offer(s) a good example of what former politicians do with unspent campaign funds."

"Festa, of Melrose, left the Legislature in the fall of 2007 to become secretary of elder affairs for Gov. Deval Patrick. At the time, he had roughly $50,000 in his campaign account. Over the next three years, Festa spent more than $11,000 on meals and just over $3,300 on a rented office coffee machine and supplies from Espresso, Etc. for his office staff at Elder Affairs.

He also spent about $9,500 on lodging and $4,800 on airfare for events such as the American Bar Association convention and Council of State Governments conferences between 2007 and 2009. Two of those trips included stays at French­man’s Reef and Morning Star Marriot Beach Resort on St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands."

...Festa left Elder Affairs in January 2009 and, by the end of that year, spent all of the $16,270 remaining in his account. Among his expenses were more than $1,200 on cell phone bills, $355 on a holiday dinner at Abe & Louie’s in the Back Bay, and more than $2,600 on travel to and lodging at conferences."

Of course, the actions are all perfectly legal - candidates are free to use the money as they wish, "as long as it satisfies the loose definition of furthering their political fortunes." 

Readers: What do you think – should there be regulations on how campaign money is spent after the election?