Maes Reimburses Himself With Almost $72,000 From Gubernatorial Campaign

GOP gubernatorial candidate Dan Maes is once-again taking heat for reimbursing himself with campaign funds, this time claiming almost $72,000 in expenses.

According to Associate Press and Denver Post reports, Maes's reimbursements stem from mileage, food and other expenses. He also paid his daughter, who has served as an executive aide, more than $14,000. The payments total to nearly 30 percent of the almost $304,000 raised by Maes's campaign to date.

Aside from the reimbursements, advertising has been Maes's biggest expenditure and has amounted to over a third of his total expenditures.

In May Maes had to pay a reduced fine of $17,500 for campaign finance violations after it was revealed that he had failed to properly document $33,135 in reimbursements.

Denver Post cites the Colorado Secretary of State's Office in reporting that that the amount Maes has claimed in reimbursements may be unprecedented in state history.

Bay Buchanan, campaign manager for American Constitution Party candidate Tom Tancredo, criticized Maes on Wednesday, telling Fox News "you cannot drive enough to get $70,000."

Tancredoreported having raised over $682,000 since the beginning of his gubernatorial campaign in July, and has reimbursed himself just over $3,800.

Democratic candidate John Hickenlooper has raised over $3.7 million, and has not reimbursed himself.