A Washington, D.C. watchdog group accused former Senator Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) on Tuesday of spending nearly $2 million in campaign cash after leaving office, $1.3 million more than was reported last month.
The Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust (FACT) filed a formal complaint Tuesday, and is asking the Federal Election Commission (FEC) to investigate the nearly $2 million in campaign funds reportedly spent on staffing, travel, events, and other miscellaneous costs. The group says there’s a reasonable chance Sinema violated federal law by using the money for personal benefits.
Sinema’s Senate term ended in 2024, but FACT says her campaign committee continued spending into 2025. The complaint includes a table summarizing the expenditures. According to FACT’s analysis, staff and payroll expenses totaled $653,555. Other listed expenditures include credit card payments and bank fees, air travel, security, office and administrative expenses, lodging, meals, and events.
FACT Sinema Complaint by Daily Wire Investigations Team
The watchdog acknowledges that federal law allows former senators to use campaign funds for a limited period to close down office operations, but the complaint argues that “the amount alone is significant and suggests it is not related to official duties.” It further states that “many of the expenses do not appear to have any relation to winding down an office, but rather they appear quite clearly to be for personal purposes, namely makeup services, alcohol, catering and lodging. Thus, there is reason to believe that Kyrsten Sinema and Sinema for Arizona have violated federal law.”
FACT highlights approximately $9,000 spent at resorts in Beverly Hills, Montauk, Wyoming ski country, and the Grand Canyon. The complaint also raises concerns about staff payments made to a security guard with whom Sinema allegedly had a personal relationship.
When Sinema left office on January 3, 2025, her campaign account had a balance of $4.2 million, but that money was gone when she filed the termination report for her campaign committee.
This isn’t the first formal complaint about Sinema’s spending habits. In 2024, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics (CREW) filed a complaint alleging Sinema spent more than $100,000 on travel expenses between March and September 2024. CREW said the reported trips to Italy and Boston were not connected to Sinema’s campaign or work in the Senate.
The FEC has not yet formally addressed the 2024 complaint.
Typically, after the FEC reviews a complaint, it determines whether there is “reason to believe” a violation occurred. If the agency finds merit, it may impose civil penalties, including monetary fines or the repayment of improperly used funds. In cases where violations are found to be knowing and willful, the matter can be referred to the Department of Justice, which could pursue criminal charges.
FACT filed the complaint just after news broke of Sinema joining the Washington Reporter as a columnist. Sinema did not immediately respond to comment regarding the post office expenditure spending.
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