Posted on 10/21/2007 5:11:30 PM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin
As U.S. Rep. Steve Kagen (D, WI) tries to make clear on the campaign trial, he's a family man.
So much so that his campaign is increasingly becoming a family enterprise.
Even on the money side.
Kagen's four children recently gave the maximum donation of $4,600 to Dad's campaign fund for a total of $18,400, records show.
The kids - who range in age from 18 to 26 and are listed as students - all turned over their donations on Sept. 30, the last date of the reporting period. Three of the siblings maxed out on the same day in 2005, giving a total of $12,600 back then.
That brings the total take by the congressman from his kids to $31,000.
Clearly, college work-study isn't what it used to be.
"The entire Kagen family supports Congressman Kagen's efforts to lead our nation in a positive and new direction," said a Friday statement from David Williams, Kagen's chief of staff.
What's amazing about this banal remark - his staff was asked specifically about the source and timing of the children's donations - is that Kagen's team took days to craft it. The statement arrived only after No Quarter sent an e-mail to Stephanie Kagen, an 18-year-old freshman at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, and called Kagen's wife.
Initially, Gayle Kagen referred questions to her husband's staff. But she bristled when told the issue had to do with the campaign contributions from her children.
"There's nothing illegal going on here," she said.
Other members of the Kagen clan also wrote checks to the first-term Appleton Democrat during the last quarter. His brother, father and wife gave a total of $13,800.
But it's the cash from Kagen's kids that is of greater interest.
"I don't know about you, but when I was a student, I didn't have $4,600 lying around to donate to a campaign," said one GOP operative.
Not that there's anything inherently illegal about children of any age donating to their parents, according to a spokesman for the Federal Election Commission. The feds are interested only in knowing that the money is controlled by the kids and that the donations are voluntarily.
Even so, one politico said he was surprised to hear of the donations in light of the recent events in Wisconsin. "Sounds like a Troha deal to me," said the Democratic wag.
Kenosha businessman Dennis Troha, the driving force behind the proposed $808 million casino in his hometown, has pleaded guilty to making illegal campaign donations through his adult children and other family members in an effort to help Gov. Jim Doyle in 2002 and President Bush in 2004.
In the case of Kagen's four children, no one is saying where they got the loot that they donated. Kagen, who owns a series of allergy clinics in the Fox Valley, could have set up trust funds for them. He spent more than $2.5 million on his campaign and reported a gross revenue of nearly $1.2 million last year from his clinics. His net worth is at least $6.2 million. But his staff wouldn't identify the source of the contributions.
All there is to go on is this statement from Gayle Kagen: "My kids, they have their own money."
And now a good chunk of it belongs to their father's campaign.
Time to send a little note to the IRS.
Isn’t Kagen the guy who claimed he deliberately insulted Cheney- and it turned out it never happened?
Wanna buy a bridge over the East River?
Kiddling instead of bundling?
I think you will find that it is common practice for candidates to receive campaign donations from their family.
What a surprise.
Smoke meet fire. Something looks a little improper, here.
And you point is...we should IGNORE it? I don’t care which side of the aisle you’re on. Wrong is wrong.
BUT...if it’s not against the law, then the GOP had better kick this into high gear because they’re not getting a dime from me these days and I know they need the cash, LOL!
I have a brother in law that is an elected official and I have donated to his campaign even though I would not vote for him if i lived in his district.
Now if he were to turn around and write a personal check to cover the donation that would be illegal. However, he has treated me to nice dinners.
Kagen. Major-league a$$hole. I wish we could get Mark Green to run for his old seat.
While true it is usually a situation where there is sufficient proof that the money was earned by the family member in their own right. I don't see any reasonable proof of that in this case so it smells.
I agree. I don’t think Gard can beat him.
Neither do I.
Exactly.
We’re not going to hear from Mark Green ever again. I’m not sure what’s up with this selection, other than it was pretty hushed up in Wisconsin. Sounds to me that the GOP is afraid of a REAL Conservative and Green will now be paying for it.
Gawd, it was an awful election cycle last time around. The politics in this state make me want to shoot myself some days!
IMHO, Scott Walker SHOULD have been the pick to run against Doyle and his crooked ‘Rat Machine. But then, Scott would’ve been a goner, too. :( Hopefully he can live to fight another day! :)
Bush taps Mark Green for ambassador post in Tanzania
2007-06-09 09:16:47
By Guardian Reporter
The White House on Wednesday tasked the Senate to send Green, 47, a former Republican congressman and unsuccessful gubernatorial candidate, back to East Africa, this time as US ambassador to Tanzania.
He is due to replace Michael Retzer.
Green`s nomination was among several President Bush sent to the White House from Germany late Tuesday.
The White House released the nominations Wednesday morning. Green, a Hobart resident, represented Wisconsin’s 8th Congressional District for four terms.
He could not be reached for comment, but nominees are typically cautioned to limit their public comments.
Alex Conant, a White House spokesman, said Green`s personal and professional knowledge of Africa earned him the nomination.
In 1987 and 1988, Green and his wife worked as volunteer teachers in Kenya with WorldTeach. While in Africa, Conant said the couple also visited rural areas of neighbouring Tanzania.
Green, the son of a South African physician who opened a clinic in Green Bay, graduated from law school in 1987. He was elected to the House in 1998.
Tanzania ? Oh, brother. This is just frustrating. We need to “Jay Johnson” Steve Kagen because if they run retread Gard, Kagen will get a 2nd term that he doesn’t deserve.
As you said about Scott Walker, it wouldn’t have mattered who got the nomination, given the national tide last year. If it hadn’t been for the antics of Peg Drunkenslaughter, we’d not have bucked the tide to pick up the AG’s office, for whatever that was worth...
You are 100% correct. J.B. Van Hollen is a total RINO. Our local conservative talk radio pushed for his election, and then interviewed him after the fact.
They haven’t invited him back for ONE talk session since then. That speaks volumes to me.
We’re so screwed. But luckily, there are still a handful of us ‘round here that actually ENJOY beating our heads against a brick wall, LOL! :)
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