Is that the type of example a Congressional Leader should set? I think not.

It appears the root of his problem is the economic "stewardship of the Republican party" (in the words of Kevin Drum, who found the story).

After big losses in the stock market, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist's campaign committee is short of money to cover a bank loan that was due in August, records show.

The committee's most recent filing shows a little more than $10,000 was paid on the $360,000 loan from U.S. Bank.

Records show Frist's committee had losses in the stock market totaling more than $524,000 since November 2000. After paying other expenses, the committee had $312,807 in its accounts as of Sept. 30, according to records reviewed by the Chattanooga Times Free Press.

Link.

This doesn't appear to be the first time the Frist campaign has had some issues with money.

A Federal Election Commission audit approved in September found accounting mistakes and inadequate disclosure with reporting from Frist's political-action committee during 2002.

The audit of Frist's Volunteer PAC found several ''misstatements'' in reports of receipts, expenditures and cash balances to the commission, compared with the political-action committee's bank records

This man is the leader of the Senate? Lovely.