Krysten Sinema taps into her millions in campaign cash for lavish travel, meals

Outgoing Sen.Kyrsten Sinema dropped thousands on ritzy travel experiences over the summer as her tenure in Washington wound down.In the third quarter of this year, Sinema (I-Ariz.) spent roughly $216,000 on expenses related to travel — including trips to Japan and France — and another $152,000 on security, according to her latest campaign finance report.

In all, Sinema’s campaign spent $650,536 between July 1 and Sept.30, far more than her other retiring peers in the upper chamber — such as Sens.

Mitt Romney (R-Utah), whose campaign listed $224,521 in spending and Sen.Ben Cardin (D-Md.), whose campaign shelled out $23,440.Some of Sinema’s expenses appear to correspond with previously known travel.

For example, she spent at least $2,593 on security in late July and $1,625 on meals in late August during a trip to Paris.Sinema, a keen runner, had competed in an amateur marathon along the Olympic course in August, completing the race in 4 hours and 48 minutes.

The previous month, the 48-year-old spent at least $2,856 on meals in Tokyo, including $1,262 on a single sitdown at Nobu Tokyo.She hiked Mount Fuji that same month, according to Arizona-based Cronkite News.Astroscale, a firm based in Tokyo that strives for “space sustainability,” suggested in a Facebook post that it had hosted Sinema in early July, around the same time as her campaign expenditures in Japan.

Other expenses listed are for domestic travel and lodging, including a $840 early July listing for accommodations in West Hollywood, Calif., as well as a $1,060 payment that same day to a hotel in Arizona.Sinema’s campaign closed out September with approximately $5 million cash on hand.

In March, Sinema opted against pursuing a second Senate term, lamenting that “compromise is a dirty word” in Washington.“We’ve arrived at that crossroad and we chose anger and division,” she said at the time.“I believe in my approach, but it’s not what America wants right now.”Sinema beg...