Editorial: Family on the Payroll

25 Jun 2007 // A sleight-of-hand loophole that allows Washington lawmakers to keep relatives on their campaign payrolls may be legal, but it sure has a stench to it.

Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, a liberal-leaning watchdog group that recently tracked this trend, figures that more than $5.1 million in campaign funds for House members went to relatives, relatives' companies or relatives' employers during the past six years. The group's conclusions are based on an analysis of campaign finance reports from 337 House members.

The report couldn't conclude whether those relatives earned their pay, but it did note how popular the loophole is in D.C. For instance, one Utah congressman turned his campaign coffers into paychecks for six of his eight children; at least 64 House lawmakers paid relatives to work in campaign committees or political action committees in the past six years.

The nepotism was bipartisan: 26 Democrats and 38 Republicans landed jobs for relatives on campaign staffs.

Lawmakers note that the money comes from campaign contributions, not tax dollars, and that as long as the relatives aren't on the congressional staff, the practice is legal.

But to many Americans, this just sounds like a Washington justification and a reminder that lawmakers enjoy gilded entitlement. If a member of Congress isn't allowed to put a family member on the office payroll, isn't it logical that he or she be barred from putting them on the campaign payroll? Any lawmaker who can't see that is part of the problem.

Texas is one of several states that prohibit legislative members or statewide officeholders from paying family members for any work with campaign funds. We'd like to see Congress change its rules to reflect similar restrictions.

Family matters, but so does public integrity.

TEXANS ON THE LIST

Joe Barton, R-Ennis

Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo

Louie Gohmert, R-Tyler

Ralph Hall, R-Rockwall

Randy Neugebauer, R-Lubbock

Ron Paul, R-Surfside

Silvestre Reyes, D-El Paso