Nebraska Rep. Don Bacon may have spent campaign funds at tuxedo shop

Nebraska Rep. Don Bacon spent almost $300 in campaign funds at a tuxedo rental shop in Omaha, potentially violating federal law.

Bacon, a Republican, has served in the U.S. House of Representatives since 2017. He was elected to a fifth term in 2024 by less than 5,900 votes.

According to campaign finance disclosures, Bacon spent $244.04 at Mr. Tuxedo on Nov. 5, 2024, which was also Election Day. The expense was coded as “campaign apparel.”

Federal Election Commission rules explicitly prohibit candidates from spending campaign funds on tuxedos, dresses, or other personal attire. Campaign money can be spent on clothing that is used for campaign purposes, such as hats or t-shirts that feature a campaign logo.

A representative for Mr. Tuxedo stated that the business only provides tuxedo rental services, and does not offer monogramming.

This is not the first time Bacon has been accused of mishandling funds.

In 2019, two men associated with former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani were arrested for funneling foreign money into U.S. elections. Bacon’s 2018 campaign received a portion of that money.

Bacon told KMTV News that the funds were not solicited and he did not know where they originated from. Bacon stated that he donated the funds to local charities when he learned of their illegality.

A year later, The Intercept reported that Bacon used his congressional expense account to pay a campaign strategist. House rules and federal law prohibit the use of congressional funds for campaign activities.

Congressional expense account funds can be spent on non-partisan communications, such as direct mailers or email blasts. Such communications are subject to strict regulation, however, to ensure they are not campaign materials.

Bacon did not publicly clarify what the expenditures were for, nor was he penalized for them.

A Bacon spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.