Howard Dean has apparently locked up the chairmanship of the Democratic National Committee, leaving the shrill wing of the party somewhat satisfied.

Among the main points his supporters listed as Dean's qualifications was his ability to raise huge amounts of cash in innovative ways. What they didn't say is that he also proved he could spend huge amounts of cash in innovative ways. Never before has a presidential candidate spent more than $50 million to finish in single digits in a primary campaign.

Here's Dean's FEC report. His report for February 2004 contains thousands and thousands of pages of contributions and expenses. (This section contains about 1,800 pages of itemized disbursements for the one reporting period.)

The question is: Once Dean moves into his new office, how long will it take party auditors to start screaming?

MORE: The deal may not be done. According to ScrappleFace, the DNC, considering a Dean chairmanship, may now be reviewing "Republican resumes" for the top DNC job.