Republicans Monday took aim at State Auditor Rebecca Otto for dinners of lobster, Creole rabbit and Boston cream pie. But Otto said they missed the facts while studying her menu selections.
The GOP challenged about $5,300 in work-related meals and hotel stays that Otto, a DFLer, charged in 2007 and 2008. Among the taxpayer-funded expenses Republicans criticized was a $368-a-night hotel stay in Chicago and meals in New Orleans and Boston, including a $44 dinner at Boston's Union Oyster House.
"We think State Auditor Rebecca Otto should apologize to taxpayers of Minnesota," said Republican Party chairman Tony Sutton.
Otto said Sutton distorted the facts and she corrected their errors in red in a news release of her own. Among the errors: the state only reimburses $31 a day for meals, regardless of how much the employee spends, and the Republicans wrongly included $1,400 for someone not connected to her office.
"They will either misrepresent or flat out lie to defeat me," said Otto. "It's a classic misrepresentation of numbers by Republicans."
Otto, who is in her first term, defeated Republican Patricia Anderson for the job. Anderson is running to regain her old office. Sutton was Anderson's deputy auditor.
Anderson said she was "shocked" by the Otto expenses.
BAIRD HELGESON
