U.S. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, a Republican representing Mississippi, has been accused of “taking large sums in campaign dollars from Washington lobbyists and for using campaign donations on travel-related expenses, claiming these expenses included a dozen trips to Las Vegas, luxury resorts, 5-star hotels, expensive meals and entertainment,” The Mississippi Free Press reports.

“Several of Hyde-Smith’s Las Vegas trips involve her and her staff attending the National Finals Rodeo, as documented by her state director, Umesh Sanjanwala, via Facebook posts from 2021, 2023 and 2025. He posted a recap of his sixth National Finals Rodeo trip to Las Vegas with the senator on Dec. 11, 2023, in a now-archived Facebook post.

“An FEC disbursement from Dec. 22, 2023, shows that the senator spent $9,104.93 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. The description of the disbursement says ‘travel.’”