LAT - Political Payrolls Include Families

[Catchawave]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/latimests/20050414/ts_latimes/politicalpayrollsincludefamilies&e=5&ncid=703

Thu Apr 14, 7:55 AM ET


By Richard Simon, Chuck Neubauer and Rone Tempest Times Staff Writers

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.

more......

[Melodybe]

1. American should be raising a stink about this no matter what their

political affliation.

This disgusts me.

[Catchawave]

3. I absolutely agree....

Even Sen. Boxer's son is on the payroll for her PAC, which I have donated to, and probably won't be in the future :(

Both Repubs and Dems are guilty. Though I see no problem for family members having their expenses paid while out on the campaign trail, in the future, I'll pay closer attention to their payroll.

I think this stinks too, especially that this is not how I want my political dollars to work! Not to mention my "free" time and efforts.

[Pepperbelly]

2. But they're doing it, too! Whaaaaaaaaaaaa!

I hate that kind of response from anyone when they get caught. I don't like the fact that any of them do this but at the same time, Delay acted like a churlish, childish, cowardly punk when he launched that chickenshit defense.

[Catchawave]

4. I agree....DeLay pushed that envelope ....

and I hate he acts like a "girlie man" every time he's cornered !

But I think nepotism is WRONG in the political arena, no matter what side of the aisle. This is not a family business, it's our tax and political (donations!) dollars !