Is It Still Awards Season?

[JackLuis]

And The Most Nepotistic Member of Congress Award Goes To…

http://wonkette.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/guesswhocongress.jpg

A chilling new report from Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington shows that this member of Congress’s campaign committee and PAC paid out a total of $304,599 in salaries and $48,742 for services during the 2008 and 2010 election cycles to his daughter, daughter’s mother-in-law, brother, grandson, granddaughter [*PAUSES FOR BREATH*] another granddaughter and a grandson-in-law, making this Representative the most nepotistic member of Congress by volume of family members on the campaign dole. And that’s only from 2008 and 2010! Who is it!? Don’t forget to scribble down your guesses on the back of your unemployment check stubs!

Hooray, and the Oscar goes to Doctor Congressman Ron Paul.

But the List also adds, among others:

Top five representatives paying the most money in salaries or fees to family members:
• Rep. Alcee Hastings, (D-FL) paid his girlfriend $622,574.
• Rep. Jerry Lewis (R-CA) paid his wife $512,293.
• Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) paid her daughter and grandson a combined $495,650.
• Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX) paid six different relatives a combined $304,599.
• Rep. Buck McKeon (R-CA) paid his wife $238,438.
• In total, representatives paid $5,575,090 in salaries or fees directly to family members.

I wonder if Rep. Hastings listed the expense under vacuum services?

 

[Boxlicker101]

If those payments are for a member's reelection campaign, and the salaries etc. are paid by PAC's and similar organizations, I consider it to be not a big deal. I wouldn't expect them to work for free. However, if all those relatives are on the public payroll, with taxpayers paying their salaries, it can be a very big deal.

I think JFK was probably the worst of the lot, with family members getting most of the cushy appointments during his administration.

 

[dr_mabeuse]

Am I the only one who doesn't much care about that kind of nickel-and-dime corruption as long as the politician's doing a good job on the macro scale? (And it is nickel-and-dime compared to what they could do.)

I figure the only kind of person who'd put themselves through the hell of a campaign is just naturally either a crook or a megalomaniac, and all things being equal, I'd take the crook over the megalomaniac anytime.

But then, I'm from Chicago...

 

[Tyro999]

But then, I'm from Chicago...

Ah! The Cook County Machine, often copied, never equalled. My parents were born/raised there in the 19mumbleteens, I was born/raised there until Dad came back from beating the Nazi hordes, and then got called back for Korea. He stayed in and we became Army brats and left Chicago never to return [other than the odd visit every 10-25 years.]

 

[Boxlicker101]

Ah! The Cook County Machine, often copied, never equalled. My parents were born/raised there in the 19mumbleteens, I was born/raised there until Dad came back from beating the Nazi hordes, and then got called back for Korea. He stayed in and we became Army brats and left Chicago never to return [other than the odd visit every 10-25 years.]

Chicago was and still is pretty bad, but not as bad as the Boss Tweed machine in New York in the 1800's.