Republican David Valadao dines lavishly while his constituents struggle to make ends meet

GOP Rep. David Valadao spent more than $22,000 at various restaurants in Washington D.C. and California last year, according to FEC reports.

Valadao represents California’s 22nd district in the U.S. House of Representatives. CA-22 ranks as the twelfth poorest of the state’s 52 districts with a median household income of $54,697.

All of the expenditures were described as meals or drinks with donors. Several of the meetings were at the Capitol Hill Club, a private Republican retreat that charges members a $4,000 joining fee and $675 in quarterly dues. 

Valadao also spent $11,700 on a luxury car service.  

Valadao has been critical of irresponsible government spending. His campaign website says he “believes that Washington should live by the same rules as every American family, which means they must balance the budget and spend no more than what they take in.” 

In September 2023, Valadao voted in support of a proposed budget resolution that would cut funding for multiple federal programs that working families rely on. This included a 30% cut to the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) which provides food assistance to pregnant people and families with young children.

The resolution did not pass.

Valadao inherited a dairy business from his father in 1992. In 2019, Valadao was named in a lawsuit against Triple V Dairy for failing to properly compensate workers. The company agreed to pay a $325,000 settlement. Triple V Dairy declared bankruptcy shortly thereafter and the settlement was never paid.

Valadao is up for reelection in November. His Democratic opponent is former California State Assembly member Rudy Salas. 

A Valadao spokesperson did not immediately respond to questions for this story.