Mary-Ann Baldwin takes China tour with campaign cash; McFarlane pays own way
The Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce and a tour company named Citslinc International have put together one sweet sightseeing deal this fall — a 9-day trip “to experience the wonders of China” for just $1,999. (Non-chamber members pay $100 more.)
Among the 300 folks signed up so far: Raleigh City Councilors Mary-Ann Baldwin and Nancy McFarlane. McFarlane says she’s paying her own way because it’s sightseeing. Baldwin, though, says it’s an economic development trip, and she’s paying for it with contributors’ money from her campaign account, including a $1,799 check to the Chamber reported on her most recent campaign finance report. (See below the fold.)
McFarlane, the District A (North Raleigh) member, is running unopposed for re-election. But Baldwin isn’t. She’s in a four-way contest (Russ Stephenson is the other incumbent) for the two at-large Council seats. And one of her at-large challengers, Lee Sartain, thinks Baldwin should be paying her own way too. “It’s sight-seeing,” he said to us, “not an economic development trip.”
Baldwin disagrees. “This is an economic development trip sponsored by the Chamber to promote Raleigh as a great city in which to invest, hire, and do business, so of course it is related to my Council duties,” she said in a written response to our question. She continued:
“I believe that all members of the Council were invited to participate. As the trip is related to my duties as an officeholder, it is a permissible campaign expense pursuant to N.C.G.S § 163-278.16B(2).”
The relevant law on how campaign funds can be used is broad (though not as broad as ex-Rep. Ty Harrell wanted it to be when he was buying dinners for a woman who is neither a campaign aide nor his wife). But basically it says you can spend contributed funds for campaign expenses (touring China? probably not allowed in a Raleigh council race) or on expenditures “resulting from holding office.” That’s what Baldwin is saying: This trip to see the sights in China “results” from — helps her carry out, in other words — her official duties.
We posted the text of the statute below.
According to the Chamber, no other Council members are taking the trip. The brochure for it makes clear that it is for sight-seeing, including excursions to the Temple of Heaven, the Great Wall, the National Embroidery Institute and so on. It didn’t seem like there was any economic development outreach to it — McFarlane didn’t think so, anyway.
You can look at the brochure here: http://www.raleighchamber.org/files/2009_chinatrip_broch.pdf.
Folks are going in three waves. The first two leave October 24 and 25; the third goes November 12. There are still some slots available for the third one. Don’t know if Baldwin’s confident enough of re-election to have signed up for an October departure. If the October 6 race results in a runofff, she might need to be here then.
The law on campaign spending is below the fold, along with Baldwin’s disclosure. Continue reading »
