Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Alison Lundergan Grimes is responding to a report that raised questions about possible campaign violations.
Facing scrutiny from Republicans, the Grimes campaign released additional information Tuesday regarding the campaign’s use of a bus, which is being rented from a company owned by her father, Jerry Lundergan.
A news report Monday questioned whether the campaign might be paying a lower-than-market rate for the bus – which could amount to an illegal in-kind contribution.
In a statement to the Lexington Herald-Leader Tuesday, Grimes campaign attorney Marc Elias disputed the charge, saying, “the campaign obtained quotes for the rental cost of a comparable vehicle from other providers in the Kentucky and regional market, and arrived at a reasonable reimbursement cost.”
The campaign also released emails and letters from two transportation companies with price quotes for comparable buses, but it's unclear at this time how the "market rate" is being determined by the different parties.
A spokeswoman for the National Republican Senatorial Committee called the issue a “serious matter” that Grimes must address immediately. The campaign has called the charges a “hit job.”
