$5.1 million in congressional campaign dollars went to relatives

The group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) found that since 2001, 72 members of the House of Representatives spent a total of $5.1 million in election campaign money on their relatives or their relatives' employers:

Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) foundnearly $3.5 million in campaign payments to relatives during the pastthree election cycles, from 2001 to 2006. Campaigns paid about $1.6million to firms owned by or employing the lawmakers or theirrelatives, the group found.

Both parties had a hand in this -- though, there were 41 Republicans and only 21 Democrats.  Ron Paul, of all people, was also involved:

Even Ron Paul, the darling of the Netroots, openly dispenses more than$175,000 in campaign funds to his daughter and other family members.

The fact that these actions are not illegal might underscore the need for tougher campaign finance laws that enforce ethics.

Comments

[Naomi Seligman Steiner]

The report includes 41 Democrats and 55 Republicans.

"Both parties had a hand in this -- though, there were 41 Republicans and only 21 Democrats. Ron Paul, of all people, was also involved:"

[Fluffy]

Paul apparently pays his daughter to work in his campaign office. A whopping $35,000 a year.

It's worth noting that these are campaign contributions and not taxpayer funds. Paul returns AT LEAST $35,000 in unspent funds from the budget the Congress awards him for office expenses each year. The amortized value of the Congressional pension benefits he refuses to accept are probably worth at least that much annually as well, given his term of service in the House.

[Chief Editor: Todd]

Yes, exactly my point, these ARE donations for CAMPAIGNS...not for funds that are funneled to apolitical causes. If these representatives want money for their relatives, then they need to have something on their site that specifies that these donations are NOT for their campaign. It is shady. It is misleading. If candidates could do whatever they wanted with the money they were given for CAMPAIGNS, then why does the Federal Elections Commission even exist?

[Arlen]

Todd is right: this type of behavior smacks of nepotism. The practice of hiring and paying paying family members with campaign funds is not appropriate and should be banned. There are many more compelling examples of this, such as one Congresswoman who hired her husband's firm to do hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of "accounting" for her re-election campaign.

[Bruch]

This is awful! That cheap Ron Paul not only forces his daughter to work on his campaign for accounting and bookkeeping and stuff, he then pays her only $27,000 a year! After expenses what does she take home! I bet he forces a bunch of his kids and grandkids to work for free, too!

Those who have given to his congressional campaign over the last 6 years should insist that his daughter is given a raise! Retroactive.

Talk about stingy!