Politicians Eating
It’s no secret that many restaurants in downtown Washington—and particularly those close to the Capitol—are funded not just by big-spending lobbyists but more or less right out of the campaign bank accounts of power-brokering members of Congress. But the sums can still be eye-popping. To wit: Rep. Kevin McCarthy, the House Majority leader as of last year, dropped more than $50,000 in the last election cycle at Ruth’s Chris Steak House; Louisiana Rep. Steve Scalise, the majority whip, spent more than $57,000 at the New Orleans-themed Acadiana; and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi spent $27,000 at the Italian eatery Acqua Al 2 and another $10,000 at the Occidental Grill, according to campaign finance filings. (Not everyone’s taste, though, runs that fancy: Rep. Mike Coffman spent $24,873 at Maggiano’s in his home state of Colorado.)
