Marco Rubio's campaign released nearly two year's worth of statements not previously available from his Republican Party of Florida credit card, showing that the first-term senator and presidential candidate made eight personal charges totaling more than $7,200.
During the period, from January 2005 to October 2006, Rubio made a total of 484 charges to the American Express card — for a total of $64,777.82.
The eight personal charges totaled $7,243.74.
Over four years, from January 2005 to December 2008, Rubio had 1,307 charges, for a total of $182,072.55.
His personal charges numbered 73, amounting to $22,003.19.
But Rubio's purchases were far less than other Republicans who succeeded him in the Florida House of Representatives, Politico reports. The amount totals about half of the $117,000 Rubio charged on the party's credit card after he was speaker of the Florida House from 2007 to 2008.
"Some of these charges are from more than 10 years ago, and the only people who ask about them today are the media and our political opponents,"
Todd Harris, a Rubio spokesman, told Politico. "We are releasing them now because Marco has nothing to hide."
Rubio, who has come under fire for his mishandling his personal finances, paid the personal charges directly to American Express, the campaign said in releasing the statements on Saturday.
The Republican Party of Florida paid for none of the senator's personal expenses. In addition, no taxpayer money was used to pay for any of the American Express charges, the campaign said.
Rubio's personal finances have become an issue in the campaign, with rivals accusing the senator of spending lavishly — and using it for personal business.
"We'll see what's happening with Rubio," front-runner Donald Trump
said Friday on MSNBC's "Morning Joe."
"He's starting to get hit hard on his credit-card things and other things that they're finding out."
Rubio has insisted that his credit-card dealings while in Florida were "not a big deal."
In his 2012 memoir "An American Son" he wrote that nearly all were for party business, "but from time to time a few personal expenses were charged to the card as well.
"Each time, I identified the charges and paid the costs myself, directly to American Express," he said in the book. "The Republican Party of Florida didn’t pay a single one of them."
According to the campaign, Rubio's meals and hotel expenses were all related to Republican Party business.
That included two charges during a trip to Walt Disney World, where his campaign said the Republican Party of Florida held most of its fundraisers.
Hotel stays and meals were expenses typically found on campaign and political committee expense reports and credit-card statements.
The campaign said Rubio was frequently traveling across Florida and was raising money for the party, ABC News reports.
According to the statements, Rubio made nine purchases from florists — totaling $709 over the two years — as well as food and hotel charges, which included nearly $1,800 for food or lodging at Walt Disney World properties.
In Miami, where Rubio lives with his wife and two children, the senator spent $308.98 at the Conrad Hotel Atrio in February 2007. The charge included a $260.91 charge for food and beverages.
He also spent $162.07 at the Mandarin Oriental, also in Miami, in September 2007.
Rubio also charged travel expenses outside Florida to the card.
In August 2007, the senator spent $1,221 on food and hotel expenses in Boston.
He also charged $140 for two meals in New Hampshire on Jan. 6, 2008, two days before the 2008 New Hampshire primary.
The statements also show that Rubio charged Delta Airlines flights for his wife Jeanette Dousdebes Rubio.
These include $328.80 for travel from Washington to Miami and $444.40 for a flight from Miami to Tallahassee. The trips occurred in October 2007.
The next month, Rubio charged $723.60 on United Airlines for his wife to fly from Miami to Denver to Aspen.
Under Florida law, spousal travel can be paid for by campaign or political action committee funds. As such, these trips would be legal — but the statements did not make clear whether any of these expenses were personal or related to Republican Party business, ABC News reports.
He also charged $3,756.24 on Oct. 16, 2005 at the Iberia Tiles store in Florida. Rubio disclosed this charge in his book. This was paid to American Express on Nov. 15, 2005.
In addition, Rubio charged of $500 to the Braman Honda Inc. automobile dealership in Miami on May 12, 2006, and $99.45 on May 19, 2006. Both payments were made directly to American Express, the campaign said.
And on Dec. 7, 2005, Rubio charged $180 to the "Hoop It-Kick It-Let" children's sports-activity center.
The campaign said the senator paid American Express directly on Jan. 14, 2006.
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