PORTLAND, Ore. -- Oregon Congressman Greg Walden spent more than $300,000 in donors' campaign contributions on food since 2011.
According to data from USA Today, the republican lawmaker was one of the biggest spenders on meals among all House members, republicans or democrats.
USA Today reporters looked at instances in which House lawmakers and candidates used terms like "food" and "meals" to describe their expenses.
According to spreadsheets provided to KGW from USA Today, Walden's meal expenses range from Safeway in Hood River, Ore. to the St. Regis Hotel in Park City, Utah.
The meals, paid for by donors' campaign contributions, include 10 visits to Ruth's Chris Steakhouse in Washington D.C. with a total tab of more than $15,000.
Congressman Walden's favorite stop was The Capitol Hill Club. He expensed 67 meals at the private, partisan Washington D.C. club.
Another popular restaurant for the lawmaker was just blocks from Walden's congressional office. He submitted receipts from the Sonoma Restaurant 18 times.
"A little bit of perspective is important here," said Paul Gronke, Political Science professor at Reed College. "Part of politics is politics. It is hand shaking, it is back slapping. It's getting together over dinner."
Gronke explained campaign contributions can't be used for personal expenses. But lawmakers have wide discretion on how they spend the money, including fancy meals.
"It's a way to impress donors. Impress other people who may be giving money and that's the way you do business in D.C.," said Gronke. "It's the way they do business in downtown Portland. It is just we don't scrutinize people as closely because they are not elected officials."
Meals account for only 8 percent of all campaign spending, according to Walden spokesman Andrew Malcom.
"We wrap a lot of events around meals, so it's not surprising that we would have food and beverage expenses," Malcom said.
The data shows that Oregon's other House members spent far less on meals. All combined Representatives Peter DeFazio, Earl Blumenauer, Kurt Schrader and Suzanne Bonamici spent roughly $15,000 on meals during the same period.
Greg Walden oversees efforts to elect Republicans to the House.
"The fact that Walden has a fair amount of spending is not at all surprising," said Gronke." He's a very prominent member of Congress."
