CREW RELEASES NEW REPORT DETAILING...USE OF CAMPAIGN FUNDS TO BENEFIT FAMILY

[babylonsister]

http://www.citizensforethics.org/node/29095

CREW RELEASES NEW REPORT DETAILING HOUSE CHAIR, RANKING AND LEADERSHIP MEMBERS’ USE OF CAMPAIGN FUNDS TO BENEFIT FAMILY
Contact:

Naomi Seligman Steiner


18 Jun 2007 // Washington, DC – Today, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) released its first-ever analysis of the misuse of power by the chairmen and ranking members of all House of Representative committees and subcommittees, as well as top leadership positions, to financially benefit their family members. The new report, Family Affair, names 96 members from 33 states: 44 Democrats and 53 Republicans.

To view the report, please visit the Family Affair website page.

CREW decided to undertake the study in light of several well publicized cases of members of Congress using their positions to enrich their family members. CREW examined 337 members of the House over the 2002, 2004 and 2006 election cycles.

Highlights of the report include:

* 64 paid family members through their campaign committees or PACs (26 Democrats and 38 Republicans);
* 24 have relatives who lobby Congress (10 Democrats and 14 Republicans);
* 19 used their campaign committees or PACs to pay a family business or a business that employs a family member (9 Democrats and 10 Republicans);
* 17 used their campaign funds to make campaign contributions to relatives (11 Democrats and 6 Republicans);
* 15 used their positions to benefit a family member or a family member’s client (3 Democrats and 12 Republicans);
* At least 7 paid offspring who ranged from school-age to college-age (all Republicans)

Melanie Sloan, executive director of CREW said, "CREW’s report, Family Affair, shines a spotlight on the troubling practice of lawmakers using their congressional positions as profit centers for family members. Our hope is that the release of Family Affair spearheads a public debate leading to changes in existing law to end these abuses."

Among the report’s highlights:

Rep. Randy Forbes’s (R-VA) campaign committee paid his three children over $45,000.

Rep. Paul Kanjorski’s (D-PA) campaign committee and leadership PAC have paid his own company (which he co-owns with his brother) over $40,000 in rent and his campaign committee paid two of his nephews over $70,000. In addition, two companies which are partly owned by Rep. Kanjorski’s family members have received over $9.4 million in earmarks.

Rep. Zoe Lofgren’s (D-CA) campaign committee has paid her husband’s two businesses almost $350,000, mostly for event management, accounting and fundraising services.

Rep. Chris Cannon’s (R-UT) campaign committee paid six of his eight children over $60,000. In addition, Rep. Cannon has used his position to assist his brother’s clients.

The report includes both an analysis of the legal implications of the findings and recommendations for changes to existing law.

***

Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) is a non-profit legal watchdog group dedicated to holding public officials accountable for their actions.

For more information, please visit www.citizensforethics.org or contact Naomi Seligman Steiner at 202.408.5565/[e-mail].

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[demnan]

1. Thank you for this post

It's good to know what kind of crooks we're dealing with.

[bbgrunt]

2. this helps explain the lack of ethics reform by both parties

[napi21]

3. Like it or not, it's quite legal to do this as long as they are paid

at a fair market rate. If you hate the idea, then the law needs to be changed.

I heard this reported on cspan this AM, and they also entioned that there's been a bill introduced by 1 Dem & 1 Pub, to make paying relatives & family members anything.

[The Straight Story]

10. That would not really help imho

they could pay someone else they know and that person would hire the family members, or use the money they got for doing the job to buy a product from the family member.

There are plenty of ways to wash the money :)

[dkofos]

4. It is time to clean house.

[KittyWampus]

5. No, it's time to change the laws that allow this to occur.

[bvar22]

6. I'm sure the people riding this gravey train...

...will just hop off at the next station by passing legislation that will cut off their gravey.
There is a big difference between "legal" and "right". A few of our Democrats know what is "right", and behave accordingly. I want to keep them, but trash the rest.

I am SICK of the excuse: "But its legal". :thumbsdown:

Clean the Democratic House.
I expect Republicans to be corrupt.

[dkofos]

8. Good luck with the bunch of crooks in there.

They will do what is right for them.
And to hell with everyone else.

Like I said, "It is time to clean house".

[bvar22]

7. Ouch. This will leave a mark.

Are you going to remember this the next time someone begs you for a campaign contribution?

At least our Democrats & Republicans have found an issue they can truly be bipartisan about.

[lonestarnot]

9. My teeth are flaming!