Karen Weaver, the incumbent mayor of Flint, Mi., used campaign funds for an event at an adult entertainment called "Flint's Club 69," according to a report from Michigan Live.
The venue, which displays "Club 69" in the format of an interstate highway sign, usually functions as a gentleman's club. Campaign finance forms show Weaver's campaign paying $7,500 to the company that owns the club, "Power Team 69," for "consulting" services.
The campaign did not respond to requests for clarification as to the exact use of the money, according to the article. But the payment occurred in late June a couple of days before an anti-violence event titled "Guns Down, Mics Up," which was held at the venue. It was the campaign's largest single expenditure.
Weaver was former vice president Joe Biden's guest at Wednesday night's Democratic debate, according to MLive.com.
Weaver made history in 2015 when she became the first female mayor of the Michigan city. Her tenure has been engulfed by the Flint water crisis.
In an interview with a local ABC affiliate, Weaver stressed "re-establishing trust" between the government and the community. "I think the people are the largest asset and that's what we want everybody to know. There is something special about the people in the city of Flint," she told the affiliate. "We take a licking, we keep on ticking. We don't let things get us down and we don't let it keep us down. We are strong we are fighters and we keep coming back."
Weaver's re-election campaign reported excellent fundraising numbers in early 2019, already quadrupling her 2015 campaign's numbers.
Last night's Democratic debate, held in nearby Detroit, mentioned the impacts of lead-tainted drinking water in Flint, with candidates proposing various infrastructure plans to help address the crisis.