Clinton spent $3.8 million on strategist in single month

Some of Hillary Clinton's supporters are vexed over her latest campaign finance reports, which reveals she spent $100,000 on party platters and groceries for the Iowa caucuses and $3.8 million in a single month on a strategist's firm. Obama, however, has spent more overall -- and $1.8 million on campaign buttons alone.

According to the filing, detailed in the New York Times, Clinton paid strategist Mark Penn and his company $3.8 million for "fees and expenses" in January alone. In sum, the firm has billed $10 million in total, which included expenditures on direct mail.

The Times said other Democratic strategists called this sum "stunning."

"Nearly $100,000 went for party platters and groceries before the Iowa caucuses, even though the partying mood evaporated quickly," the paper's reporters wrote. "Rooms at the Bellagio luxury hotel in Las Vegas consumed more than $25,000; the Four Seasons, another $5,000. And top consultants collected about $5 million in January, a month of crucial expenses and tough fund-raising."

They also paid communications consultant Howard Wolfson $267,000 in January. His total tab to the campaign passed $700,000 last month, including debts to him, the reporters said.

By contrast -- Obama's communications director -- Robert Gibbs, is paid $144,000 a year.

Read the full Times story here.

Obama meanwhile, has spent $1.8 million on buttons "and other paraphernalia," according to a second report.

Obama has dished out $138.2 million to Clinton's $120.9 million through Jan. 31, according to the filings.



