Bruce Charges State For Days Before He Took Office

State Rep. Douglas Bruce (R-Colorado Springs) overcharged the state $750 in legislative expenses for January, the Denver Post and the Rocky Mountain News are reporting.

Bruce asked for the maximum of $3,450 -- 23 days worth of a $150 per diem -- even though he only was a state legislator for 18 days in January, according to the Rocky.

Bruce skipped the first five days of session in order to be eligible for an extra House term under state term-limit rules.

Bruce told the Post the overpayment was due to a clerical mistake: he was told he could claim a maximum of 23 days, and he signed his reimbursement form, the Post article stated.

"It's the height of unfairness to say I'm feeding at the public trough," Bruce told the Post, noting he donates his full legislative salary to charity.

Legislative Council staff pulled Bruce from a committee hearing Wednesday afternoon to notify him of the error, the Rocky reported.

Bruce later called the Legislative Council office and said he would exchange the uncashed check for another check of a lesser amount, the newspaper reported.