Rand Paul Skipped An Evangelical Event In Iowa And Was Caught Partying In The Hamptons With Alec Baldwin

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Rand Paul

AP

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Kentucky) is taking some heat after he was spotted at a party hosted by liberal actor Alec Baldwin in the Hamptons at about the same time of a Christian event in Iowa that he had said he would be unable to attend due to a "family commitment."

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According to a Tuesday report in the Des Moines Register, Paul's appearance at the Baldwin event "raised eyebrows in Iowa. It also resulted in some thinly-veiled criticism from the head of the Family Leader, the conservative Christian group that organized the event Paul missed.

"If you want to be at a fundraiser in the Hamptons with the rich and famous, you probably ought to tell people you want to be at a fundraiser in the Hamptons with the rich and famous," Bob Vander Plaats, the organization's president, said.

Several other conservative pols looking to run for president, including Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R), made sure to appear at the Family Leader event on Saturday. Paul, a libertarian-oriented Republican is also contemplating a White House bid. However, he isn't necessarily a favorite of the evangelical Christian crowd.

The East Hampton Library fund-raiser Paul attended was co-sponsored by Baldwin, the New York Post's Page Six reported Monday. Due to Baldwin's well-known liberal leanings, the paper said it was the "biggest surprise" that Paul, former New York Gov. George Pataki (R), and Fox News host Bill O'Reilly to all show up.

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According to Page Six, Paul reportedly spent the event "schmoozing for free and getting tips on where to go in Montauk for a lobster roll." Paul's office told the Des Moines Register that the senator really did have a family commitment in New York and the Baldwin event was simply an additional event he attended while in the area.