Did RNC try to hide $982 worth of Boyden Valley wine?

By Daniel Barlow / Montpelier Times Argus

MONTPELIER, VT – As you might guess from its name, Boyden Valley Winery doesn't sell any office supplies.
So owner David Boyden was surprised to find out that the Republican National Committee claims it spent $982 at his Cambridge winery last year on, according to a filing with the Federal Elections Commission, "office supplies."

"We're a small winery," Boyden said on Monday, days after the news hit Internet political Web sites. "We don't sell anything but wine."

Boyden's bafflement follows news last week that the RNC – the donor-supported GOP organization that works to get Republicans elected across the country – spent about $2,000 last year at a lesbian bondage-themed strip club in Los Angeles. It has erupted into a political scandal.

That revelation came out after the RNC filed its financial information with the Federal Elections Commission, detailing how it spent money raised to support the national party and its interests. The expenditure and other GOP concerns have left Michael Steele, the chairman of the GOP, fighting off calls for his resignation.
According to a review of the rest of the FEC filing by the Alter Net Web site, the RNC also spent thousands of dollars for "office supplies" or "meals" at businesses, liquor stores and clothing outlets that quite clearly don't sell any pens or pencils.

That includes $3,817 spent at Fugate's in Florida, a high-end clothing store; $282 at Boca Grande Outfitters, a Florida store that sells fly fishing equipment; $453 at Henri Bendel, a New York costume and jewelry store and $700 at Congressional Liquors, a Washington, D.C., liquor and sandwich shop.

Included in that list is also the $982 spent at Boyden Valley Winery in December 2009, billed as being for "office supplies."

The RNC did not return a call for comment Monday. Steve Larrabee, the chairman of the Vermont Republican Party, also could not be reached for comment.

Boyden, who co-owns the winery with his wife, Linda Boyden, said he didn't know about the controversy focusing on RNC's spending of donor money until a friend sent him a notice on Facebook linking to a story on the Huffington Post, a popular liberal news site.

He said he was shocked to see his small Vermont winery mentioned in the same news story as a Los Angeles bondage nightclub. He doesn't remember exactly what the order was for, but said $982 could buy a lot of wine, because most of their bottles sell for $15-17. But perhaps supplying wine for an office is just more acceptable as office supplies than a wine purchase.

"They didn't mention if this was for a party or fundraiser," Boyden said. "We sometimes donate wine for our congressional delegation when they are showing off Vermont brands."