DINING AT THE TROUGH

A new study by Citizens for Responsibility & Ethics in Washington (CREW), a non-partisan activist group, recently found that 96 members of Congress (55 Republicans and 41 Democrats) used their positions to financially benefit family members or entities owned by family members in the past six years by diverting $5.1 million in campaign funds.

Former Democratic Speaker of the House Tom Foley hired his wife to be his chief of staff and put his mistress on both the public and campaign payroll at the same time. Other members put their wives, husbands, girlfriends and boyfriends on the public dole.

At least 71 (all Republicans. Yeah!) paid their children, who ranged from school-age to college-age, to do whatever kids are supposed to do to collect their allowance, only these 71 Republicans didn’t have to use their own money.

It is illegal for members of Congress to hire family members as employees on their official staff, but for some unknown reason it is not illegal to hire them with campaign funding. I don’t know about anyone else, but I would not like for the money I donated to help my candidate to get elected to go into some relative’s pocket such as:

• Ron Paul arranged for $163,890 to be given to his daughter.
• Rep. Zoe Lofgren, Democrat from California, who diverted $285,481 in campaign funds to her husband's firm, Collins & Day.
• Dan Burton skimming $143,900 in payments to his daughter.

The practice of putting relatives on your payroll is an old one in Washington. The practice is so widespread that lawmakers dismiss it with a nod and a wink and laugh at legislative attempts to ban payments to family members from campaign funds.

Reps. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., and Mike Castle, R-Del., introduced a bill this month that would prohibit congressional candidates from paying their spouses with campaign funds and require campaigns to disclose family relationships with close relatives on the payroll. I’m sure they know that their bill has no chance because Congress hardly ever approves legislation that curtails their ability to abuse the system.

I’ll bet these are some of our representatives that vote against any form of welfare for poor people.

The California Cermedgeon