Senator Roger Marshall Pays Long-Overdue Campaign Bill After Social Media Call-Out

Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., has paid a six-year-old campaign bill after the owner of a bakery publicly called out his campaign for failing to pay for custom cookies and treats ordered for a 2020 election watch party. The invoice for $678.75 was for items ordered by Marshall's campaign when he was running for the U.S. Senate.

Holly Thomas, founder of Holly's Sweet Treats, shared a Facebook post on Oct. 8 detailing her experience. She stated that despite repeated attempts to collect the payment via phone and email for nearly a year, the invoice remained unpaid. Thomas noted that the incident occurred when she was a new small business owner and that her business, like many others, was struggling during the COVID-19 pandemic. She emphasized that "every single dollar mattered" and that the business could not afford to give away products that cost money and employee time to produce.

"Six years later, I haven't forgotten," Thomas wrote. "This isn't about political parties or policy disagreements. It's about my personal experience as a small business owner and the importance of honoring financial commitments. That experience is why Roger Marshall will never get my vote."

Marshall addressed the situation on Oct. 10, posting on X that he had no idea how the bill went unpaid. He stated that as soon as the issue came to his attention, his campaign immediately attempted to contact the business to apologize and settled the 2020 bill, paying double the original amount. A screenshot showing a $1,300 payment to the bakery was shared.

Thomas later confirmed on Facebook that the bill had been paid, stating, "But I can officially confirm that Roger Marshall has paid his bill! Better late than never, right? Six years later, I guess we can finally mark that invoice PAID!"

Marshall is currently seeking re-election.