House Passes Ban On Work By Spouses on Campaigns

[babylonsister]

http://www.speaker.gov/blog/?p=616

House Passes Ban On Work By Spouses on Campaigns
July 23rd, 2007 by Jesse Lee

The House is debating H.R.2630, the Campaign Expenditure Transparency Act, which would prevent lawmakers from paying their spouses out of campaign or political action committee funds, and would also require the disclosure of all other immediate family members who are employed by the candidate’s campaign.

The bill is sponsored by Rep. Adam Schiff (CA-29), who spoke in favor of it on the floor:

more...

[panader0]

1. Not paying them from funds is correct. Not allowing spouses to work

on campaigns is not.

[TechBear_Seattle]

2. Your subject appears to be misleading

The only ban in on having spouses as paid campaign staff; it does not appear to prohibit spouses from working as a volunteer. And I can certainly agree with not paying spouses as staff; it would be an excellent way to skim money. Likewise with having immediate family as paid staff.

[babylonsister]

3. I got it verbatim from Pelosi's site, but the difference is noted. They

probably had DeLay's wife in mind, among others, when they banned this.

[TechBear_Seattle]

6. And Mr Clinton too, no doubt

Not to sound cynical (who, me?) but I bet this bill got wide support on both sides of the aisle for just this reason.

Spouses have become central to running political campaigns. Since the candidate can not pay himself a salary for running, it makes perfect sense that the candidate's spouse could not likewise be paid a salary. My only surprise on this bill is that such a vast, gaping loophole has not yet been closed.

[eyesroll]

7. Actually, some candidates can pay themselves -- if they take a leave of absence

from a paid job, they can be paid the lesser (I believe) of their current salary vs. the congressional salary.

Makes sense if you think about it -- it allows "average joes" who ordinarily couldn't afford the often full-time job of running for office to do so; it also levels the playing field a bit with incumbents who can draw their congressional salary while campaigning.

Candidates can't pay themselves if they don't leave their jobs, I believe. So the spousal prohibition makes sense in that respect.

Anyhow. Carry on.

[MonkeyFunk]

8. Was Bill Clinton ever paid

by Hillary's campaign?

[TechBear_Seattle]

16. I have no idea, but...

There are plenty of Republicks in Congress who would start frothing at the mouth at the very idea, though.

[MonkeyFunk]

17. I doubt it

I think the Clintons are savvy enough not to even think of paying Bill.

[JAYJDF]

4. WOW! Now this must be one of those items that is way to important to delay for Impeachment n/t

[KansDem]

5. Does this include the spouses of Supreme Court justices who work on transition teams...

of the losing candidate who is made instantly into a winner (in part) by the spouse's husband?

Information Clearinghouse

Oh, I didn't think so...

[Bitwit1234]

9. Deputy Dawg Thompson paid his son to handle his campaign

and he paid him more than he took in for one committee he was in charge of.

[Sanctified]

10. Hmmmm, I am not sure I would agree with this.

As a small business owner my wife does a lot of shit for me and the business and I need to make sure she is compensated for it. I also want to make sure she continues to contribute to social security that way come retirement if I am not around she will receive a little something. I don't see why it would not be the same for a Politician, it's nice to say donate your time but peoples time is worth money and I am sure the spouses are doing almost as much work as the politician who is running.

[babylonsister]

11. There's been proven instances where politicians have taken advantage

of their positions, and that's what they're trying to ban/avoid.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/04/07/politics/main686271.shtml

The New York Times reported Wednesday that DeLay's wife and daughter have been paid more than $500,000 since 2001 by his political action and campaign committees.

[Sanctified]

12. I woudl put a cap on what family members can be paid not ban paying them at all.

I think this falls too much under a wife is free labor. And believe me there are a lot of people who think that, I get that all the time when I tell people I pay my wife a salary.

[babylonsister]

13. You are not a politician, so it's not the same.

They've been using our money to pay their family members.

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/1153AP_Congress_Spouses.html

House rejects campaign pay for spouses

By CHARLES BABINGTON
ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER

WASHINGTON -- Spouses don't belong on campaign payrolls, the House says, voting to end a practice that has benefited some members of Congress for years.

Monday's action follows controversies in which lawmakers added many thousands of dollars to their family incomes by hiring relatives for campaign tasks, even if their qualifications were not always apparent.

The practice "has shown the potential to foster corruption," said Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., chief sponsor of the measure that was approved by voice vote after little debate.

The bill would bar a federal candidate's spouse from being paid by the candidate's campaign or leadership political action committee. The ban also would apply to companies or firms in which the spouse is an officer or director.

Campaign or PAC payments made to other immediate members of the candidate's family would have to be disclosed.

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[liberal N proud]

14. They shouldn't be paid to work for the campaign

If they truly support their SO they will do the work as a volunteer.
Paid to work campaign just open up too many opportunities for fraud and it has been done way too many times. Mostly on the right I might add, but both side are guilty.

[sicksicksick_N_tired]

15. *LOL* This will really REALLY piss off some Republicans.

:rofl: ,...some Democrats, too.

Personally, I find that kind of familial cronyism so gross,...such a gross abuse of campaign funds.