Karen Handel to Profit from Fundraiser Hosted by Donald Trump Because Karen Handel

Atlanta, GA – What do you get when you pair a self-centered vanity candidate always on the lookout for a get-rich-quick scheme with another self-centered vanity candidate always on the lookout for a get-rich-quick scheme? A Karen Handel fundraiser hosted by Donald Trump.

This Friday, Donald Trump will spend the day in Atlanta, capping off his trip with a high dollar fundraiser for Karen Handel. Barely limping in to the 6^th Congressional District runoff and disliked by members of her own party, Handel is now reliant upon national Republicans to fund a campaign that has perpetually teetered on the edge of irrelevance. Further illustrating the GOP’s scramble to buy voters’ love, the Congressional Leadership Fund—a super PAC aligned with House Republicans—announced Wednesday it was spending another $3.5 million dollars in Georgia ahead of the June runoff.

“National Republicans are trying to buy another seat in Congress—essentially buying another ‘Yes’ vote to take away Georgians’ health care and cut taxes for the rich. But all the money in the world won’t expunge perpetual politician Karen Handel’s record of misusing taxpayer dollars as Secretary of State. And it certainly won’t buy the enthusiasm and energy we’re seeing in the Democratic Party.” – Michael Smith, Communications Director

For years, Karen Handel has been mired in scandal for misuse of tax dollars. While serving as Secretary of State, Handel chose a $587-per-month taxpayer-funded allowance for a luxury SUV over the standard state car. During what was dubbed as Georgia’s “greatest budget crisis since the Great Depression,” Handel suggested spending between $15,000 and $18,000 of tax dollars on new chairs.

As Secretary of State, Handel fired 40 workers yet found room in the budget to spend $13,500 in travel in 2008 and 2009 alone. In fact, Handel’s personal office budget rose by 42 percent as Secretary Of State. But the habit of looking out for herself at the expense of others was nothing new at that point, as her personal office budget rose by 43 percent while serving as Fulton County Commissioner.

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