Posted on 04/18/2005 12:39:37 PM PDT by kellynla
WASHINGTON — At least 39 members of Congress have engaged in the controversial practice of paying their spouses, children or other relatives out of campaign funds, or have hired companies in which a family member had a financial interest, records and interviews show.
House campaign funds have paid more than $3 million to lawmakers' relatives over the last two election cycles, records show.
The practice is not illegal but has come under new scrutiny following reports that House Majority Leader Tom DeLay's wife and daughter had received hundreds of thousands of dollars since 2001 from his political action and congressional campaign committees. It also comes after disclosures that relatives of members of Congress have been hired by special interests as lobbyists or consultants.
Lawmakers are barred from putting relatives on their congressional payrolls, but they can pay them to work on their campaigns as long as the family member does bona fide work and isn't paid significantly more than the market rate.
The bipartisan practice has been increasingly criticized by government watchdogs and members of Congress.
"Instinctively, it doesn't pass the smell test for me, and I don't think it would for my constituents," said Rep. Ray LaHood (R-Ill.). LaHood said he had never employed relatives and thought the practice was wrong.
"Public service should not be a way to build a family fortune," said Celia Wexler, vice president for advocacy at Common Cause.
Many lawmakers who have hired relatives say their motivation is confidence, not profit.
"I need a campaign manager I can trust," said Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Huntington Beach), whose wife, Rhonda, is now paid $40,000 a year to run his campaign. Over the last four years, she has received $114,894, records show.
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
You know what, this practice really doesn't bother me in the least. If it weren't for the glaring hypocrisy of the Dems on this issue I wouldn't be moved here. As it is, though, I'm pissed that they'd rake DeLay over the coals for this crap.
well you know what this is all about...
the 'Rats want to get rid of DeLay and if not "delay"(pardon the pun LOL) his removal and use him as a "whipping boy"...
DeLay has been an excellent leader and the 'Rats can't stand it! LOL
I don't mind the practice either...
but like you, I wanted to post this piece so folks could see the hypocrisy of the 'Rats!
Needs widespread dissemination. Have done my part to disseminate this article.
Funny how the left can't remember Daschle's wife lobbying congress when he as majority leader in the Senate.
Daschle got beat you know? :) Makes me gidddy everytime I say that.
If the family members are actually doing work, I just don't see the problem with having them on your campaign staff and paying them for it.
If you run a small business you are likely to employ your relatives, and with how important the issue of trust is for a campaign, I would imagine that relatives automatically rise up significantly on the apptitude for the job. Of course true nepotism is rife in big business and Hollywood* and I've yet to see much MSM whining about it, especially the latter...
* The next time you see terrible acting/directing/writing in a movie go look up the person responsible on IMDB. They are almost guaranteed to be related to someone else in the industry. I saw a movie recently with Tom Hanks's son and Sissy Spacek's daughter as two of the three leads. Neither one could act their way out of a paper bag.
again more hypocrisy from the left
I recall my Rep., Ed Markey, being in three places at once doing Stand Outs. Hmm, that couldn't have been his brothers Richie and John doing it for him could it?
My grandmother used to talk about something like this...people living in glass houses shouldn't throw stones.
Or hire family.
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