Roger Marshall pays bakery bill after complaint in Hutchinson

U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall paid a bakery owner in Hutchinson on Saturday following public claims about an old unpaid tab. The lawmaker sent double the original amount to resolve the six-year-old dispute with the Kansas dessert shop.

Marshall said he had no knowledge of the outstanding bill before learning about the public posts. Whether campaign staff saw prior notices was not established.

The dispute started Thursday when Holly Thomas shared her story online. She owns Holly’s Sweet Treats in Hutchinson, Kan. Thomas wrote that Marshall’s 2020 campaign ordered treats for a primary election watch party. She said workers never paid the tab.

Thomas said the campaign left her with a $678.75 bill during the COVID-19 pandemic. She posted an invoice showing the ordered baked goods.

• $375 in custom sugar cookies
• $75 in cupcakes
• $175 in fudge brownies

Thomas said she tried to collect the money for nearly a year. Campaign workers never answered her calls or emails, according to Thomas.

“Not only was I just starting out, but we were also in the middle of COVID, when small businesses everywhere were struggling just to keep their doors open. Every single dollar mattered,” she wrote. “Those cookies and treats cost money to make, employees’ time to prepare, and resources that my little business couldn’t afford to give away.”

Marshall moved quickly to settle the debt on Saturday. He posted a digital receipt showing a $1,300 payment to the bakery.

“We have absolutely no idea how this happened, but rest assured as soon as it became known to us, we immediately attempted to contact the business in order to apologize, and we have repaid the bill from 2020, double,” Marshall wrote on the social platform X.

Marshall is a physician who won election to the Senate in 2020. His medical office faced past scrutiny over patient debts. The New York Times previously reported on debt collection lawsuits from his practice.

Political campaigns run temporary offices during election seasons to purchase food and supplies. Vendors send invoices directly to campaign committees for reimbursement. Unresolved balances often linger if committee treasurers fail to log expenses.

The shop owner operates Holly’s Sweet Treats in downtown Hutchinson. The campaign sent payment Saturday.