That's America's hypocrisy for you.

Selfish greedy people. Greed is all right for them but never for others.





http://www.nbcnews.com/news/investigations/all-family-senators-kin-reap-financial-benefits-study-finds-n251051

NBC NEWS


All in the Family: Senators' Kin Reap Financial Benefits, Study Finds

BY MIKE BRUNKER


First published November 18th 2014, 12:33 pm


Nepotism is alive and well in the U.S. Senate, according to a new report detailing questionable financial arrangements that benefit the lawmakers’ relatives.

The “Family Affair” report by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), found that relatives of 67 of the 100 senators were employed by an affiliated organization, such as a campaign or political campaign committee, worked as lobbyists or otherwise benefited from a financial arrangement related to the lawmaker’s influential position. While legal, such setups create the appearance of impropriety, it said.

The report, which covered the period from the 2008 election cycle through the early part of the 2014 election cycle, found that such setups involving spouses, children and siblings were bipartisan, with 37 Republicans, 28 Democrats and two Independents engaging in at least one of the practices.

Among its key findings:

20 senators (five Democrats, one Independent and 14 Republicans) paid family members through their congressional offices, campaign committees and political action committees (PACs). Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, led the pack in this category, with payments of $258,556 to a relative, it said.

30 senators (10 Democrats and 20 Republicans) had family members who worked as federal lobbyists or were employed in government affairs. Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, had the most family members working in one of these categories, with five, according to the report. (A spokeswoman for Grassley responded: “Senator Grassley is proud of his family, including the small business that his daughter started from nothing. Her company provides a number of services to state and local professional business associations such as leadership development, conference and trade show management, member recruitment, public relations, membership management, website development, publications and database management and government relations. There are no Grassley family members who are registered to lobby nor are they required to in their jobs.”)

26 senators (12 Democrats and 14 Republicans) paid a family business, employer or associated nonprofit. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., was tops in this category, with $530,935 in payments to companies run by his wife and niece’s husband, it said.

Seven senators (five Democrats and two Republicans) used their campaign money to contribute to or pay a family member’s political campaign. Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., was the top donor, with $15,000 in contributions to the campaigns of her brother, Mitch, for lieutenant governor and mayor of New Orleans, the report said. (Matthew Lehner, senior adviser to Sen. Landrieu’s campaign, responded: "Yes, Sen. Landrieu supports her brother's leadership.")

11 senators (six Democrats and five Republicans) earmarked or directed money to a family business, employer or associated nonprofit. Tops was Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, who earmarked $19,438,000 to a university where her brothers serve on boards, it said.

Senators collectively paid relatives nearly $1.3 million in salaries and fees and paid family businesses, employers, or associated nonprofits nearly $2.6 million, it said.

The report also included detailed information about reimbursements for 20 senators (six Democrats and 14 Republicans) because their campaigns and leadership PACs reimbursed them or their relatives more than $25,000 collectively over the period, more than is typical. Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Ala., was the leader in this category, with reimbursements totaling $481,456, it said.



- posted by H.V.O.M - Kerry Wayne Burgess 12:57 PM Pacific Time Spokane Valley Washington USA Tuesday 18 November 2014