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For Immediate Release
March, 22 2012, 03:40pm EDT
Contact:
CREW Released Report Revealing Representatives Abuse Position to Benefit Family Members
WASHINGTON
Today, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) released its new report, Family Affair, detailing how members of the House of Representatives use their positions to financially benefit their families. In all, CREW found a shocking 248 House members used their positions to financially benefit themselves or family members.
Click here to read about the actions of these members of Congress in CREW's latest report.
Highlights of the report include:
- 82 members (40 Democrats and 42 Republicans) paid family members through their congressional offices, campaign committees and political action committees (PACs)
- 44 members (20 Democrats and 24 Republicans) have family members who lobby or are employed in government affairs
- 90 members (42 Democrats and 48 Republicans) have paid a family business, employer, or associated nonprofit
- 20 members (13 Democrats and 7 Republicans) used their campaign money to contribute to a family member's political campaign
- 14 members (6 Democrats and 8 Republicans) charged interest on personal loans they made to their own campaigns
- 38 members (24 Democrats and 14 Republicans) earmarked to a family business, employer, or associated nonprofit.
Download the report here.
"This report shows lawmakers still haven't learned it is wrong to trade on their positions as elected leaders to benefit themselves and their families," said CREW Executive Director Melanie Sloan. "Conduct like this reinforces the widely held view that members of Congress are more interested in enriching themselves than in public service. Family Affair highlights these practices."
CREW is partnering with LegiStorm to make the data in this report more widely available in a searchable form at www.legistorm.com.
Family Affair is a follow-up to CREW's 2007 Family Affair - House report, which looked at how representatives used their positions to benefit family members over the 2002, 2004, and 2006 election cycles. The new report focuses on the 2008 and 2010 cycles. Click to read the 2007 report or the 2008 Family Affair - Senate report.
Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to promoting ethics and accountability in government and public life by targeting government officials -- regardless of party affiliation -- who sacrifice the common good to special interests. CREW advances its mission using a combination of research, litigation and media outreach.
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