Tagged: Louisiana Board of Ethics

Campaign cash spent on such expenses as football tickets, personal clothing and flower deliveries is drawing attention from the Louisiana Board of Ethics, whose members say the "gratuitous and purely personal" use of political donations is a growing trend.

So the board has launched an effort to create stronger definitions for what is considered improper personal use of campaign contributions.

A committee created in March is working on new rules and is expected to complete its work within a few months.

The Louisiana Board of Ethics says campaign contributions for Gov. Bobby Jindal and dozens of other candidates came from "straw man entities" linked to a landfill company.

The Times-Picayune reports that Jindal received $40,000 in 2007 from companies linked to River Birch Inc. The Board of Ethics alleges in a May 18 lawsuit that the donations violate a $5,000 cap from one company if all the money came from River Birch.