Maryland delegate’s marketing campaign spending on journey, eating, and resort raises authorized questions

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (WBFF) — A assessment of marketing campaign finance filings submitted to the Maryland Board of Elections exhibits that first-term Del. Gary Simmons, D-Anne Arundel County, spent almost the entire cash his marketing campaign committee raised in 2025.

That consists of 1000’s of {dollars} on meals, out-of-state journey, and a on line casino.

The reported expenditures elevate questions on whether or not sure bills complied with Maryland marketing campaign finance legislation, which prohibits the non-public use of donor funds.

According to state data, Simmons’ marketing campaign raised roughly $28,000 in calendar 12 months 2025 and reported spending almost $26,000 of that quantity – greater than 90% of newly raised funds.

A Spotlight on Maryland assessment discovered that a bit greater than 14% of his marketing campaign funds had been spent on reelection efforts.

Baseball cap within the Annapolis, Md., workplace for Del. Gary Simmons, D-Anne Arundel County. (Steve Pierce/Spotlight on Maryland)

More than $2,000 was spent on meals in 2025, together with transactions throughout the 90-day legislative session. Itemized expenditures embrace:

• $142.13 on Feb. 3, 2025, at Seaside Restaurant in Glen Burnie
• $70.38 on Feb. 4, 2025, at Cooper’s Hawk Winery and Restaurant in Annapolis
• $115.98 on Feb. 18, 2025, at Two Rivers Steak and Fish House in Pasadena

Additional expenses present a number of small meals transactions almost every day throughout the 2025 legislative session at fast-food institutions and 16 meals transactions at Lisa’s Luncheonette, which has a location within the James Senate Office Building.

What state laws say

Maryland election legislation attracts a pink line between political actions, legislative duties and private use of funds.

Jared DeMarinis, the state administrator of elections on the Maryland Board of Elections, outlined the usual when requested typically about marketing campaign finance legislation.

“Maryland law requires campaign funds to be used solely for the purpose of supporting or opposing a candidate, question, or political committee,” DeMarinis mentioned. “Moreover, there must exist a nexus between the expenditure and the candidacy for which the expenditure relates.”

In different phrases, the expenditure is permissible if it could not have occurred however for the very fact of a candidacy is being promoted, supported, or opposed,” DeMarinis added.

When supplied with basic questions on the usage of marketing campaign funds for repeated meals throughout the session, out-of-state journey, and attainable leisure spending – together with at a on line casino – DeMarinis referenced state laws.

“In the fact pattern provided, the description of the activities would be deemed personal, not electoral,” DeMarinis mentioned. He added that such issues “would be referred to the Office of the State Prosecutor.”

What Simmons says

In an interview with Spotlight on Maryland on Friday earlier than the state of the day’s legislative session, Simmons mentioned public service is “a calling” and emphasised his dedication to constituents.

When requested concerning the meals expenditures throughout session, Simons mentioned initially he couldn’t remark intimately, citing what he described as an “ongoing” matter associated to “checks and balances” and marketing campaign finance accountability.

Simmons’s marketing campaign finance report additionally exhibits $850 expenditure in September 2025 for Tiesta Tea in Chicago. According to the corporate’s web site, they make connoisseur teas.

Meanwhile, marketing campaign filings present that greater than $6,622 in donor funds had been used for out-of-state journey in 2025. That consists of $1,296 spent at Beau Rivage Resort and Casino in Biloxi, Mississippi, in October and December.

Soon after his wedding ceremony in May 2025, Simmons’s marketing campaign finance account additionally confirmed greater than $3,741 in mixed journey prices related to distributors in Boston, New York City, New Jersey and Providence, Rhode Island.

Maryland State Board of Elections marketing campaign finance experiences for Del. Gary Simmons, D-Anne Arundel County. (Steve Pierce/Spotlight on Maryland)

When requested concerning the on line casino expenditures, Simmons mentioned, “What casino?” He defended the New England journeys as conferences tied to his reelection effort.

Everything I do as an elected official is designed for my marketing campaign and my election,” Simmons mentioned.

Simmons, elected in 2022 after retiring from the federal authorities and briefly serving as a trainer, has not been formally charged with any wrongdoing. A assessment of publicly accessible data doesn’t present that the Maryland Board of Elections has issued a proper discovering or made a prison referral concerning the expenditures in query.

The lawmaker promised Spotlight on Maryland that he would reimburse his marketing campaign if he decided he did one thing fallacious.

“I’m not a campaign finance specialist,” Simmons mentioned. “I’m the politician. We have someone who deals with that. That’s what’s important, so there is nothing here that I do intentionally to deceive the public because the public is why I’m here.”

Simmons mentioned he believes the scrutiny is politically motivated by a fellow Democrat. When requested who, he wouldn’t immediately reply.

“I can’t say who the one person is, but they know why they are, and we know who they are,” Simmons mentioned. “I do the work of the people, and [I will] continue to be accountable for the work that I do.”

What Simmons’ constituents say

Residents in Simmons’s district mentioned on Friday that they’re involved when requested about their consultant’s spending. Several mentioned donor funds ought to be reserved for campaign-related communication and outreach, not eating or touring with unclear electoral objective.

Others mentioned any violations ought to be reviewed by election authorities and in addition prosecuted.

“At the very least, he should lose his position in Annapolis,” mentioned Andrew Phillips, one among Simmons’ constituents in Brooklyn Park. “It sounds like he is a crook.”

Andrew Phillips, a resident of Brooklyn Park, Md., and a constituent of Del. Gary Simmons, D-Anne Arundel County, mentioned on Friday, February 27, 2026, that his lawmaker ought to be held accountable for any potential incorrect spending of marketing campaign finance funds donated. (Steve Pierce/Spotlight on Maryland)

Statewide, nationwide scrutiny

The reported spending comes amid nationwide and statewide scrutiny of marketing campaign finance data.

The Federal Election Commission and state-level election authorities routinely warning candidates that marketing campaign accounts usually are not private financial institution accounts. The FEC’s long-standing steering on the federal stage mirrors Maryland’s statute, which prohibits the conversion of marketing campaign funds to “personal use,” outlined as bills that will exist no matter a candidacy.

Members of the General Assembly additionally obtain a nontaxable residing stipend throughout the legislative session, together with a $63 per diem meals reimbursement allowance and $125 per day for lodging, in line with a January report by the General Assembly Compensation Commission.

Any member of the meeting is eligible for lodging reimbursement, however the Internal Revenue Service treats the reimbursement as taxable earnings if the elected official resides inside 50 miles of Annapolis.

Gary Collins, an investigative journalist with Spotlight on Maryland, questioned Del. Gary Simmons, D-Anne Arundel County, in his Annapolis, Md., workplace on Friday, February 27, 2026, about his marketing campaign spending. (Steve Pierce/Spotlight on Maryland)

In Annapolis, lawmakers from each events have, in recent times, confronted fines or prison referrals for improper reporting, late filings, or questionable expenditures. Most instances are resolved by means of compensation and civil penalties, although some have resulted in prison convictions the place the intent to defraud was confirmed.

Del. Kathy Szeliga, R-Baltimore County, allegedly met with federal legislation enforcement just lately over a discrepancy amounting to greater than $100,000. The veteran lawmaker has refused to talk to Spotlight on Maryland concerning the assembly, along with her treasurer, James Appel, and his legal professional each saying they can not communicate on the matter.

Send information recommendations on this story or others to [email protected] or contact Spotlight on Maryland’s hotline at (410) 467-4670.

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