Clinton campaign left bills unpaid at IU Associated Press
Posted: May 23, 2008
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Hillary Rodham Clinton's presidential campaign has moved on from Indiana, leaving behind $55,000 in unpaid bills for campaign events at Indiana University.
The debts are for appearances made by Clinton, former President Bill Clinton and their daughter, Chelsea, during March and April leading up to Indiana's May 6 primary.
Barack Obama's campaign, meanwhile, has already paid the $108,142 it owed IU for two Assembly Hall events -- a rally featuring the Illinois senator and an Obama-sponsored concert by Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds.
The university charged the campaigns for sound equipment, security and other needs for their events, but school officials knew there was a risk that the bills would not be paid, IU spokesman Larry MacIntyre said.
"We are very happy that we were able to have both Democratic candidates here," MacIntyre said. "We feel it was a great thing for the students, and we don't have any regrets. We'd like to get paid, and certainly we believe that ultimately, we will be paid."
A message seeking comment was left Friday at Clinton's campaign headquarters.
In spending reports filed this week, Clinton listed $19.5 million in debts, including $10 million she has lent her campaign.
Clinton and Obama both spend millions of dollars on television ads, campaign offices and staffs and events around Indiana for more than a month before the primary, which Clinton narrowly won.
The Clinton campaign report listed several smaller debts around the state through the end of April, including about $900 to Kim Brand's company for setting up the computers at Clinton's state headquarters in downtown Indianapolis. Brand said he was paid after making repeated phone calls to the campaign.
"We didn't want to let it get too far out because then memories fade, relationships lapse," he said.
MacIntyre said he was not sure what IU would do to pursue the Clinton debt if the campaign did not pay the bills.
"She owes $20 million. I suspect we're probably not going to get paid in a timely manner," MacIntyre said. "But what a great opportunity for students. They had, for free, a chance to be up close and personal with both Senator Obama and Senator Clinton."