House Members Give Millions in Campaign Cash to Their Families (including Ron Paul)

In the past two election cycles, Americans donated close to $2 billion to candidates running for the U.S. House. Their contributions not only went to fund core campaign costs, but also to candidates' babysitters, five-star hotels in Athens, six-figure salaries for candidates' family members and thousands of dollars in interest payments to the candidates themselves.

A 347-page report on House campaign contributions released Thursday by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington suggests that it pays to be related to a member of Congress. Throughout the 2008 and 2010 election cycles, more than half of the current members of the House - 248 to be exact - each spent more than $10,000 in campaign cash to pay themselves and their family a combined total of $5.6 million, according to the non-profit ethics watchdog group.

Rep. Ron Paul of Texas, who is currently running for president, reportedly made campaigning a family affair, dolling out thousands in campaign donations to six of his family members, more than any other member.

It was Rep. Aaron Schock, R, Ill., who opted for luxury in Athens, using $30,000 in campaign donations to reimburse himself for hotel bills spanning from a 5-star stay in Greece to more affordable Hampton Inns, the report stated.

Rep. Rob Andrews, a New Jersey Democrat, treated his family to a luxury resort in Scotland while attending a wedding, all on campaign donors' dime, according to the group.

Rep. Jerry Lewis, R-Calif., paid half a million dollars to his wife to work in his congressional office, the report stated.

news.yahoo.com...

Well, makes sense. All of the corporate money they receive gets sent to their entire family. Ron Paul looks to be handing out what is mostly non corporate donations to his family. He should try sending some to his son Rand for a new haircut.

Great to see them redistributing the wealth...well...at least when their own families are concerned....

reply to post by David9176


I find it curious and suspect that they mention Ron Paul gave out thousands to his family but mention nothing specific as was the case with every other person they mentioned.

I know that his family is very involved with his campaign and I personally would like to see that it isn't justified before I jump to the conclusion that it wasn't.

Seeing how this article makes no case that it wasn't I can only assume it was.

Did you notice that for each other person they had a specific case of using the money inappropriately but no specifics about Ron Paul? Simply saying that his family members had received some payments.

Well Payments for what? Working on the campaign? Certainly that would be justified would it not?


ETA:
Well, here is what I was able to pull out of the actual report the article cites

Rep. Paul’s campaign committee, Committee to Re-elect Ron Paul,3 paid salaries to his daughter, his grandson, his daughter’s mother-in-law, his granddaughter, his grandson-in-law, and another relative. In addition, his campaign committee reimbursed the congressman and several other relatives and paid his brother’s accounting firm. Finally, Rep. Paul’s leadership political action committee (PAC), Liberty PAC,4 reimbursed the congressman, paid his brother’s accounting firm, and paid his daughter a salary.

What this says to me is that the money was used to pay salaries to people who were employed in the campaign and reimburse campaign expenses.

People can draw issue with whether or not he should be employing his family in his campaign but certainly nobody would object to salaries being paid to people for doing a job? Kinda what the funds are for.

The report also acknowledges that they added up his multiple runs for office, this is why the amount is larger than others.

Seems like an obvious smear tactic, IMO. Though it would seem some of the other people mentioned certainly used some of the funds inappropriately.

The total money spent by RP campaign was $304,599.00 divide that by 9 and you get $33,844.33 not a bad salary compared to some but hardly making anyone rich. When you then take the fact into consideration that this spans multiple years and multiple campaigns it seems even more minuscule.

I suppose that is why the article didn't bother to go into specifics...

reply to post by sageofmonticello

I find it curious and suspect that they mention Ron Paul gave out thousands to his family but mention nothing specific. I know that his family is very involved with his campaign and would like to see that it isn't justified before I jump to the conclusion that it wasn't.

Yes i did notice that. If it's nothing big he'll prove otherwise i'm sure.

reply to post by sageofmonticello


Hmmm.

Sounds very very suspicious to me.

Maybe they are making up stories ?

This is normal.

Is it not standard practice to help out those around us in whatever position we are in?

I get discount hotel/resort prices as an employee of a specific hotel management group and I share that with those around me. I bet many of you do the same.

Unless it can be proven that these funds are being given out to family members and no service is being performed, I say no big deal.

If you were in that situation.....you would do it too.

While some of the decisions may not be what I think is appropriate, the use of campaign funds to keep the campaigner going is what they are donated for. Unless something is illegal Ive got no qualms with my donation keeping one fed and housed.

I dont understand your point,,is that bad,,if the money was given to them cant they do anything they want with it?? are there rules when donations are given ?...Your title is false too, it says millions,article says thousands..Paul had 1.3 million in his campaign last time i looked. Obama could feed the world with his billion in donations,,whats up with that??maybe give it back to the country ?? Paul wouldnt even accept security like the others asked for, probably cause he isnt a wimp like the others, but because it costs $$$$ thats what makes you THAT dumb for posting this..BOO

reply to post by avatard


And Pauls donations arent "dirty money" like Obamas and the other 3 GOP from Goldman Sachs,,argue that one youll lose..

Do American politicians get expenses? In the UK, the media printed the expenses of MP's and the amount of MP's that were fiddling the system was shocking and British politics still has not recovered. We had MP's claiming for mortgages on 2nd homes and redecorating their homes. A few went to prison, but most got away with it. Including the PM.

Originally posted by xuenchen
reply to post by sageofmonticello

 

Hmmm.

Sounds very very suspicious to me.

Maybe they are making up stories ?

Ya I wanna see a the long form 1040

ron paul, like the rest, is a fraud and part of rot of the establishment.
His family are freemasons but he isn't.
He wants to go back to the gold standard, which basically will keep the
power in the hands of those who are in power now.
He is silent on 9/11.

Watch obama's career disintigrate over the next few months (I think he will be forced
to resign over some pre-scripted breaking scandal), and watch ron paul
become the masses and the media's hero and hope. (obama 2008!)
It is all scripted. We are being set up, by all the obvious GOP voting frauds, the forwarding
of blatant crazed/lunatic candidates, the oh so contrived msm black-out of ron paul, and
obama's overt blundering incompetences and outright attacks on constitutional and human
rights!

Ron paul will simply be the next actor placed in line to carry on their ongoing agenda.

Don't fall for it again. Don't support it.

Resist!

reply to post by David9176


OP, did you say Rand needs a new haircut???







I need new underwear after that

I am surprised that you are surprised.

Candidates hiring their own relatives and cronies for high-pay, low-output, campaign jobs is nothing new.

Remember Pat Buchanan in 2000, running on the Reform Party? He blew the entire party's treasury on his relatives and buddies and did virtually no real campaigning or advertising. Managed to wreck the Reform Party - it had some money left from Perot's run, and also enough success from Perot that it was entitled to a ballot line -- Buchanan left it with neither.

Maybe I'm missing something here.

The report focuses on House Members.

What about the U.S. Senate ?

Perhaps some investigating would uncover likely suspects
that were Senators and running for POTUS ?

Hmmm.

Originally posted by xuenchen
Maybe I'm missing something here.

The report focuses on House Members.

What about the U.S. Senate ?

Perhaps some investigating would uncover likely suspects
that were Senators and running for POTUS ?

Hmmm.

Well, what about the senate???

Are you trying to say that this information is unimportant because the
senate is not included?

What is your point?

This primary season alone there have been so many ethics violations and illegal payments made by candidates to themselves from campaign contributions that they may as well disband the FEC, it's all but useless. Campaigning is a cash cow for these people, none of them want to point out the criminal activity because that would rock the boat they're all in.

mmm ...mmm...mmm...my, these folks sure know how to game the system. I feel like a schmuck for being an average person with integrity.

I've noticed the inordinate amount of religious, "charitable", lobbying, political, and now "super pacs", over the last couple of decades. Seems like everyone but me has established some kind of way to raise money and siphon some...sometimes a goodly sum...for themselves and family or cronies.

I guess nobody bothered to read the report. Its all from 2008 and 2010.
Page 303 to 307 is about Ron Paul.
www.citizensforethics.org...

His daughter got two salaries in 2010. $24,334 and $42,590.

Lori Pyeatt (daughter):11
• During the 2008 election cycle, Rep. Paul’s campaign committee paid Ms. Pyeatt
$56,666 in salary.12
• During the 2008 election cycle, Rep. Paul’s campaign committee reimbursed Ms. Pyeatt
$4,878 for gas, food and travel expenses. 13
• During the 2008 election cycle, Rep. Paul’s leadership PAC paid Ms. Pyeatt $2,542 in
salary.14
• During the 2010 election cycle, Rep. Paul’s campaign committee paid Ms. Pyeatt
$42,590 in salary.15
• During the 2010 election cycle, Rep. Paul’s campaign committee reimbursed Ms. Pyeatt
$4,478 for telephone, mileage and framing expenses. 16
• During the 2010 election cycle, Rep. Paul’s leadership PAC paid Ms. Pyeatt $24,334 in
salary.17
• During the 2010 election cycle, Rep. Paul’s leadership PAC reimbursed Ms. Pyeatt $917
for travel expenses.1

Does anyone really give a damn regardless of the veracity of this story?!?!
REALLY!?
With all that's on the world's plate,
this is not even bread-basket worthy

What is this...FOX NEWS?!
FFS!

If this is completely true than we need to PRAISE Ron Paul.

Ron Paul - the JOB CREATOR!!