Kerry campaign paid parking tickets

WASHINGTON, May 4 (UPI) -- Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., used thousands of campaign dollars to pay for Red Sox tickets and parking violations in the city of Boston.

The 2004 Democratic presidential nominee dropped $3,150 in presidential campaign funds on baseball tickets when he threw out the first pitch at a game at Fenway Park just before his nominating convention in July, the Boston Herald reported.

Kerry also used $287 of senatorial campaign funds in March to pay six parking tickets that were more than 15 months overdue.

A Federal Election Commission spokesman said congressmen can pay parking tickets and other expenses from campaign funds if they are "campaign-related."