As 1st Congressional District hopeful Bill Clifford gets his campaign off the ground, he is mired in a billing dispute with a political consultant.
Clifford’s quarterly finance report filed earlier this month reveals he’s contesting an $18,500 bill from Creative Direct, a Richmond, Virginia, consulting firm that helped him launch his congressional campaign.
Travis Smith, a former consultant at Axiom Strategies in Kansas City and former chief of staff for former Republican Congressman Kevin Yoder, is a partner at Creative Direct.
The Clifford campaign lists the $18,500 owed to Smith’s firm as a debt, but it includes a short explainer about the bill.
“This debt is currently being disputed with the Vendor,” the report says. “The Committee is of the opinion the amount owed for services rendered is no more than $5,000. The Committee has tried multiples to contact the Vendor to resolve the dispute and has been unsuccessful.”
Clifford, who filed for the House seat on Sept. 12, would not go into any details about the billing dispute. He said it was being negotiated.
Smith took exception to how the bill was characterized in the campaign finance report.
“I’ve never walked out of my eye doctor’s office without paying in full,” said Smith, alluding to Clifford’s profession as an eye doctor.
“Guess guys like Clifford live by a different set of rules than the rest of us. He will fit in great in Washington!”
Clifford reported raising about $390,000 during the quarter that ended Sept. 30, although he lent the campaign $250,000.
He is running in the Republican primary against former Lt. Gov. Tracey Mann, who reported raising about $256,000. Mann only lent himself $200 for the primary in the Big 1st.
Also in the race is Republican state Rep. Troy Waymaster, who just announced but has not yet filed a campaign finance report.
In other news out of the Big 1st, Council Grove Republican Michael Soetaert is running for the GOP nomination. He’s also running for Council Grove City Council and mayor of Council Grove. He’s established a GoFundMe page in which he’s raised $5 so far.
“As of now, I am not issuing any press credentials due to the reality that I will be queried about the presidential investigations. I’m not going on record,” Soetaert posted on the GoFundMe page.
“This means, I’m not talking to reporters about this gnarly set of issues. I am going to retreat to the proverbial hermit’s cave through this very nasty primary. Think spiritual retreat from political reality.”
Soetaert said he’s running an “asymmetrical campaign.”
“I will sidestep all of this artificial drama. Nobody in Kansas cares about this craziness,” he wrote. “This is a political scenario, not a legal one. I will simply stand with you and the president through the primary process and let the voters decide.”
On the Democratic side, the Hutchinson News reports that Walmart manager Brandon Williams has joined the Democratic primary in the Big 1st.
He’s running against Kali Barnett and Christy Davis, former executive director of the Symphony in the Flint Hills.
Only Barnett so far has raised any money. She reported raising about $60,000 in the quarter ending Sept. 30.
