Louisiana Senator David Vitter will not be able to pay legal fees stemming from his involvement with a escort service from his campaign funds.

From the AP (via Google News):

Vitter’s lawyers asked the FEC to rule on whether the senator could use campaign funds to pay about $207,000 in legal costs, and whether his campaign committee could reimburse Vitter $70,000 for fees he already paid.

The funds in question would otherwise go toward the first-term senator’s 2010 campaign. He has not said whether he will run again. In its latest statement filed with the FEC, his campaign committee said it had $1.9 million cash on hand as of June 30, and no debts.

The FEC opinion said Vitter could use about $31,000 in campaign funds for responding to inquiries from the Senate Ethics Committee, which eventually decided not to investigate him, and hiring a public relations professional.

But the FEC’s staff ruled out using campaign money to pay $85,322 Vitter used to fight subpoenas issued by Palfrey’s attorney and $75,212 he was billed by his attorneys for monitoring Palfrey’s court case. The opinion said those expenses were not directly tied to his job as a senator.

Senator Vitter will  have to pay $160,534 in additional to the $70,000 he has already paid.