Former Senator Kyrsten Sinema, who stepped down in January, continues to draw attention as her campaign committee reports thousands of dollars spent on hotels, flights, and high-end services—despite no longer holding office.
Federal Election Commission filings show that over the past reporting period, the Sinema for Arizona account paid for a $9,579 airline ticket, multiple hotel stays in places such as Aspen and Berlin, and $800 in makeup services. Included among the charges were $1,262 at a Tokyo restaurant and more than $17,000 on private security.
Campaign finance experts note that while former officeholders are permitted to maintain funds for specific uses—such as building another campaign, donating to charity, or supporting a political party—many of these expenditures appear personal in nature and raise questions about compliance with federal rules prohibiting “personal use” of campaign money.
The Arizona independent, now working in the private sector, has not provided a public comment on the spending. The records underscore persistent debate over how political funds should be managed when elected officials leave office.