RICHMOND, Va. (AP) _ The old days of Virginia’s elected officials accepting gifts like designer clothes, exclusive tickets to sporting events and lavish vacations are over. But public officials can still spare no expense when it comes to fundraising for their virtually unregulated campaign accounts. A review of campaign finance data by The Associated Press found elected officials have used their campaign accounts in recent years to pay for fundraisers that include birthday blowouts, high-dollar hunting and fishing trips, and expensive golf tournaments. That spending occurred as lawmakers tried to improve the state’s reputation by placing limits on gifts from lobbyists and others.
