Campaign cash for congressional spouses?

21 Jun 2007 // By the standards of most Americans, members of Congress are well paid at $165,200 a year. They get a generous package of health and retirement benefits. They shouldn't be padding their incomes by funneling campaign cash to their husbands or wives.

A recent report from Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington showed that 72 House members together had raided their campaign accounts for more than $5 million to pay family members or their employers for work done over the past six years. While CREW is a liberal group, its list included a bunch of Democrats as well as Republicans.

Four House members who represent parts of Central Florida made CREW's list. Republican Dave Weldon's campaign paid his wife $16,309 as a salary last year. Winter Park Republican John Mica's campaign paid a son $2,500 and a daughter $1,000 for "consulting" in 2002 and a nephew $1,800 last year. Republican Ric Keller's campaign paid a fund-raising company that employed his wife during part of the period more than $200,000. Democrat Corinne Brown's campaign paid her son-in-law $5,500 for fund-raising and event planning in the 2006 election cycle.

It should be pointed out that some members from other states paid much, much more to family members. California Democrat Zoe Lofgren, for example, paid two companies run by her husband more than $340,000 over six years.

It's understandable, though not especially admirable, that a politician might pay a son or daughter for campaign work. Presumably they know and trust them. The son or daughter might be cheaper, and would probably be more dedicated.

But given that the personal finances of husbands and wives are intertwined, paying a spouse for campaign work means pocketing campaign contributions. A Congress that is sincere about ethics will ban this dubious practice.

Anyone want to stick up for the lawmakers who hire their spouses?