House Dems spent more than $7K in campaign funds on El Salvador trips for Kilmar Abrego Garcia — despite some claiming they paid ‘out of their own pocket’
Share this @internewscast.com

WASHINGTON — This spring, House Democrats spent over $7,000 in campaign funds on airfare to El Salvador and a reservation at an upscale Hilton hotel, although some stated publicly that their trips to see alleged foreign gang member Kilmar Abrego Garcia were personally funded.

Reps. Robert Garcia (D-Calif.), Maxwell Frost (D-Fla.), Yassamin Ansari (D-Ariz.), and Maxine Dexter (D-Ore.) landed in San Salvador on April 21 with the intent to “pressure the Trump Administration” to release Abrego Garcia, an alleged MS-13 member, as per a collaborative statement.

Garcia’s congressional campaign recorded an expenditure of $1,981.99 on April 17 with Taca International Airlines, a Salvadoran airline, and an additional $501.53 for “event space rental” at the Hilton San Salvador on April 29, as documented in Federal Election Commission (FEC) records.

Frost’s campaign shelled out $1,362.49 for travel on Avianca, a Latin American airline that bears El Salvador’s flag, and $967.43 for travel on Volaris, a low-cost Mexican airline — both of which were recorded May 8, a week or so after their trip.

Ansari’s campaign reported the highest total spending on travel with $2,616.45 forked over to Avianca Airlines in four separate tranches between April 17 and 21. Dexter’s campaign paid $1,315.44 for travel on Taca Airlines April 18.

None of the lawmakers listed any lodging expenses in El Salvador, according to a Post review of the FEC filings, and all except for Garcia claimed they personally footed the bill for the travel costs.

“The congresswoman paid for her own flights and hotel with her own money, and the campaign paid for a campaign volunteer with campaign funds,” noted an Ansari rep, clarifying that no Members’ Representational Allowance (MRA) funds were used.

Ansari’s office previously told a Phoenix-based NBC affiliate that the congresswoman “paid for the trip out of her own pocket.”

A Garcia spokesperson previously confirmed to The Post that the congressman “paid for the trip through his personal campaign funds.”

A rep for Dexter had said in April their member self-funded the flight.

Frost’s reps told Politico no MRA funds, which are provided by US taxpayers, were used.

Travel expenses exceeding $1,000 are considered in-kind contributions to campaigns when recorded by a candidate, campaign staffer or volunteer, according to the FEC.

Rep. Glenn Ivey (D-Md.) made a separate visit to El Salvador to try to meet with Abrego Garcia, a former Maryland resident who resided in his district, but only spent $291.25 in campaign funds for the jaunt.

“Congressman Ivey did not use MRA or taxpayer funds for his trip to El Salvador. In accordance with House Administration and FEC guidelines, his principal campaign committee covered the travel costs associated with fulfilling his official Congressional oversight responsibilities,” said Ivey’s communications director Ramón Korionoff in a statement.

“All expenses were properly reported to the FEC in full compliance with federal disclosure requirements. Congressman Ivey believes it’s essential to understand the real-world impact of U.S. immigration and security policies firsthand, and he remains committed to conducting his work with transparency, accountability, and fiscal responsibility.”

Notably, a review of filings for Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) — the only Democrat to be granted a meeting with Abrego Garcia in what he later claimed was a staged photo-op by Salvadoran officials for the purpose of embarrassing him — do not show any campaign spending for similar travel or lodging in mid-April.

The main campaign arm for Senate Republicans later mocked the political trips by offering “one-way” tickets for more Dems to visit El Salvador.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) reportedly dissuaded the Dems from taking the trip — despite praising Dexter in a subsequent political livestream as well as Van Hollen, whose “great leadership” the Brooklynite celebrated for having made the first visit to CECOT.

Asked in an April 29 press conference whether he agreed with Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas) that it was a “mistake rallying around” Abrego Garcia, Jeffries deflected the question.

CECOT, the notorious Salvadoran megaprison, took in 260 suspected gang members that the Trump administration deported on March 15, including Abrego Garcia who had entered the US illegally in 2011.

Maryland police arrested him along with some MS-13 members at a Home Depot parking lot in March 2019. Abrego Garcia was sporting a Chicago Bulls hat and hoodie that “represents they are a member in good standing” of the gang, a confidential informant told authorities.

The informant, in a report filed with the Prince George’s County Police Department, said Abrego Garcia was an “active member” of MS-13, held the low rank of “Chequeo” and went by the street name “Chele.”

Later in 2019, an immigration judge granted Abrego Garcia a “withholding of removal” order preventing his immediate deportation to El Salvador and allowing for removal to other nations — but he was released without the first Trump administration appealing the decision.

Garcia was later moved from CECOT to a lower-security facility elsewhere in El Salvador.

In June, the Trump administration facilitated the alleged gangbanger’s return to the US — where he was hit with human trafficking charges.

Garcia’s wife, Jennifer Vasquez Sura, and defense attorneys have denied Abrego Garcia’s purported MS-13 affiliation.

Reps for Garcia, Frost and Dexter didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like
ICE in Chicago: Federal agents engaged in widespread misrepresentations to justify use of force, Judge Ellis says

Federal Agents in Chicago Accused of Misrepresentation to Justify Force, Judge Ellis Reports

In Chicago, the ABC7 I-Team is delving into a collection of videos…
Pro-Palestinian agitators storm popular fashion store in Manhattan on Black Friday, 4 arrested: NYPD

Black Friday Chaos: Pro-Palestinian Protesters Clash at Iconic Manhattan Fashion Store

The New York City Police Department (NYPD) reported the arrest of at…
US dramatically escalates Somalia airstrikes as Trump admin targets ISIS, al Qaeda terrorists

US Intensifies Airstrikes in Somalia, Targeting ISIS and al Qaeda Forces

JOHANNESBURG: The frequency of U.S. airstrikes targeting jihadi extremists in Somalia has…
Pei-Yun Chung: 'Dine-and-dash diva' accused of skipping out on bills at high-end Brooklyn, New York City restaurants

Brooklyn’s ‘Dine-and-Dash Diva’ Allegedly Leaves High-End Eateries Without Paying

NEW YORK — A social media influencer, notorious for allegedly evading payments…
American cruise ship passenger Ann Evans found after going missing on island tour

Missing American Cruise Passenger Ann Evans Safely Located After Island Tour Disappearance

An American woman who went missing after not returning to a Holland…
US passenger goes missing while on shore during Caribbean cruise

Unraveling the Mystery: Latest Developments in US Cruise Passenger’s Disappearance in the Caribbean

The perplexing case of a missing American tourist on a Caribbean island…
Criminal networks exploit US interstates to make human trafficking victims vanish: ‘Real plague’

Uncovering the Hidden Highway: How Criminal Networks Exploit US Interstates for Human Trafficking

An alarming crisis is spreading across the nation’s roadways, leading to the…
Jacksonville Holiday River Fest: Know before you go

Ultimate Guide to Jacksonville Holiday River Fest 2023: Essential Tips for a Memorable Experience

Jacksonville is set to dazzle with its inaugural Holiday River Fest, featuring…
Israel releases body-cam video of deadly Syria raid targeting Muslim Brotherhood-affiliated terrorists

Israel Unveils Body-Cam Footage of Strategic Syria Operation Against Muslim Brotherhood-Linked Militants

IDF battles terrorists in Syria raid Footage from a body-camera captures a…
Cheerleader who died aboard Carnival cruise ship cremated, death certificate reveals

Fox News True Crime Newsletter: Unraveling Anna Kepner’s Enigma, Alex Murdaugh’s Legal Drama, and the Stalled Investigation of Martha Moxley

In a tragic turn of events, 18-year-old Anna Kepner was discovered deceased…
Beach Park man Erik Crump charged with arson after setting fire to home after Thanksgiving argument: Lake County sheriff

Beach Park Resident Erik Crump Faces Arson Charges Following Post-Thanksgiving Dispute: Lake County Authorities Report

A domestic dispute during the Thanksgiving holiday led to a house fire…
Russia outlaws Human Rights Watch as crackdown on dissent continues

Russia Bans Human Rights Watch: Escalating Clampdown on Free Speech and Dissent

On Friday, Russian authorities declared Human Rights Watch as an “undesirable organization.”…