WASHNGTON — The chief of staff for southern Minnesota’s representative in Congress has been billing the office budget for unusually heavy travel expenses. The total since David FitzSimmons became chief of staff for Congressman Brad Finstad in 2023 hasexceeded $110,000, according to records checked by Minnesota Star Tribune. The totals:
> 2023: $40,000.
> 2024: $40,000.
> 2025: $33,000 so far.
Reimbursements that FutzSimmons claimed for 2024 were the eighth highest among the support staff for the 435 elected House members. The FitzSimmons 2014 breakdown: $20,100 for flights, $22,600 for lodging, $3,700 for mileage, $3,100 for parking, and $1,600 for taxis. The reimbursements were charged from Finstad’s office budget, which is funded by taxes. FitzSimmons’ reimbursements have been consuming 8% of the Finstad office budget. A detailed breakdown was not readily available, but the $20,000 for 2024 flights would buy as many as 41 round-trip tickets on Delta from Reagan National Airport in Washington to Minnesota. Unknown at this point is whether FitzSimmons flew coach or first class or whether he used the thousands of Delta frequent flier points he amassed to reimburse the Finstad office budget.
FitzSimmons. Has a bizarre living arrangement for a top Congressional aide. He has no address in Washington but lives 1,200 miles away in Annandale, Minnesota, which is 50 miles south of St. Cloud. His salary as Finstad’s chief of staff: $200,000. He lists himself also as the managing partner of FitzSimmons Family Farms of Annanadale which is, in MN-6, no where near MN-1, from which Finstad has been elected.
FitzSimmons profile
A graduate of Dassel-Cakato High School, 15 miles from his family farm. A Republican. Age 47. Elected to the Minnesota House from Wright County in 2012 and served one term. Managed the 2014 MN-6 Congressional campaign of Tom Emmer. Later was Emmer’s chief of staff from 2015 to 2018. Was an aide to Congresswoman Michelle Fischbach from MN-7. Later Fischbach’s chief of staff fro, 2021 to 23.