State records reveal Jeb Bush's wife shockingly expensive taste
Columba Bush, wife of former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (R) apparently has quite a taste for the finer things in life.
In 1999, Columba Bush was detained by customs officials for "misrepresenting the amount of clothing and jewelry" she bought on a trip to Paris, The Washington Post reports. She apparently spent roughly $19,000 during the five-day trip.
The Post reports that the 1999 incident was far from the end of Bush's spending habit. State filings show that Columba Bush took out loans to buy tens of thousands of dollars of jewelry at a time from Florida store Mayors Jewelers.
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Since Jeb Bush has recognized the "opportunity gap" between the rich and the poor, his wife's spending could present an issue for his political career, especially since high-profile clothing items worn by Ann Romney and Michelle Obama have been mocked in the past.
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Jeb Bush told the Post that Columba Bush's shopping habits shouldn't be a factor for Jeb Bush's political career, adding that Jeb Bush knew his wife "made purchases from time to time."
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Meghan DeMaria is a staff writer at TheWeek.com. She has previously worked for USA Today and Marie Claire.
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