Oops! Rand Paul didn't transfer $250K to GOP

Despite what he said in a letter to members of the Republican Central Committee days ago, Sen. Rand Paul has not transferred $250,000 to the Republican Party of Kentucky to help pay for the presidential caucuses Paul is seeking.

Paul's campaign confirmed Tuesday afternoon that the money has not been transferred. Instead, the money has been set aside in a dedicated fund and will be transferred to the party upon approval by the party central committee of the caucuses plan.

Paul said in a letter to members of the 334-member committee this weekend that to make sure that the caucuses would be funded at no cost to the Republican Party of Kentucky, "I have transferred $250,000 in an RPK account to begin the funding. Very little of the funding is needed this August, but I wanted to make sure there was plenty in there as we move forward."

While the Paul campaign assured that the money has been set aside and ready to be transferred, the fact that the money has not — as the Paul letter said — been transferred already will not help Paul in winning approval.

"I'm disappointed that they sent a letter saying the money had been transferred when it hadn't," said Scott Lasley, the Warren County Republican Party chairman who also chaired a special committee that drafted a plan for presidential caucuses. "That confuses things. The important thing for all members of the central committee to remember is we're there to do what's best for the Republican Party of Kentucky. To do that we need as much information as possible. A more accurate, free-flow of information is helpful."

The central committee is scheduled to vote Saturday on the plan to withdraw from the traditional May primary election, and start a GOP presidential preference primary in March of next year.

The move is being done at Paul's request because state law bars him from running in next year's primary for both president and for re-election to the U.S. Senate.

Caucuses would allow him to seek Kentucky's Republican presidential delegates in March, while still appearing on the primary ballot for re-election to the Senate in May.

Some leading Republicans expressed concerns about the change, primarily over cost for caucuses - estimated at $500,000 - which would have to be paid for by the party.

Paul's letter said that in addition to the initial down payment of $250,000, he would provide another $200,000 in the fall. The balance of the cost would be covered by a $15,000 filing fee that the caucuses plan would charge each presidential candidate.

Lasley said, "I think the biggest questions in all this involve the payment beyond the initial $250,000. How will that work and when will that additional $200,000 be transferred."

Reporter Tom Loftus can be reached at (502)875-5136.