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Hey, Big Spender!
Members of Congress have now filed their second quarter spending reports, and several past and current lawmakers are putting those hard-earned campaign funds towards their mounting legal bills. Here is a look at the past quarter's political spending on criminal and ethics investigations:
Former Rep. Mark Foley (R-FL): $277,000
Foley is being investigated for inappropriate actions and communications last year involving his underage House pages.
Rep. Don Young: (R-AK): $262,138
Young is under investigation for his relationship with Jack Abramoff as well as a long history of generous earmarking.
Former Rep. J.D. Hayworth (R-AZ): $102,000
The FBI has been investigating Hayworth's large campaign contributions from Native American tribes as a part of the Jack Abramoff scandal.
Rep. Dennis Hastert (R-IL): $59,884
The former House speaker was investigated by the House ethics committee for his role in preventing the Foley scandal from coming to light.
Rep. Jerry Lewis (R-CA): $54,756
Lewis is being investigated for earmarks that he provided to campaign contributors, as well as his role in the Duke Cunningham scandal.
Rep. John Doolittle (R-CA): $50,584
Doolittle is under investigation for his roles in both the Duke Cunningham scandal and the Jack Abramoff scandal. Doolittle’s wife, who was sporadically employed by Abramoff, has had her home and office raided by the FBI.
Rep. Rick Renzi (R-AZ): $25,000
Renzi is under investigation by the FBI for pushing inappropriate legislation meant to advantage political supporters and former business partners. His house was raided by the FBI this past April.
Former Rep. Curt Weldon (R-PA): $25,000
Weldon is under investigation for official actions that he took on behalf of his daughter’s lobbying clients. Weldon’s daughter’s offices were raided by the FBI last year.
Rep. Allan Mollohan (D-WV): $22,672
Mollohan, the chair of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science and Related issues, is under federal scrutiny for earmarked funds for his home state that might have been used to increase his personal wealth.
Sen. Ted Stevens (R-AK): Unknown
Stevens is being investigated for his relationship with the construction company VECO, as well as his connection to the corruption investigation of his son and local state senator Ben Stevens. His campaign finance disclosures are yet to be uploaded by the Federal Election Commission.
Late Update: An earlier version of this post mistakenly stated that Sen. Stevens had requested an extension in filing his REC report. Rather, Sen. Stevens has requested an extension of his personal financial disclosure form from the Senate Secretary.
Comments (9)
Powkat wrote on July 17, 2007 3:15 PM:And it's 9 to 1 for the Republic Party. Guess that sorta ruins their 'everybody does it' excuse. Maybe everybody does, but Republics do it 10 times more often.
Jake D. wrote on July 17, 2007 3:32 PM:Perhaps because TPM forgot to include Legal Defense Funds set up by Sen. John Kerry, Corrine Brown, Jim McDermott and Reps. William Jefferson, Tom Feeney, and Brad Miller?
PrgrsvArchitect wrote on July 17, 2007 3:34 PM:Jake D --
will wrote on July 17, 2007 4:19 PM:Tom Feeney is as corrupt as they come and a REPUBLICAN
"Foghorn Leghorn" Hayworth was a horrible US representative. He's on the come back trail spewing venom in the afternoon drive on KFI (reich wing fascist Repuglithug radio at it's worst). He's a typical Republithugs, "do as I say, not as I do". Give me a break. What a loser you are Foghorn/leghorn.
Sam's Uncle wrote on July 17, 2007 4:21 PM:Shooting them on the Mall is a damn good idea. Imagine the mass exodus of suchlike should such a great idea pass into law?
A fella can dream.
- Mutt
Sorry to rain on your thought parade of an honest government, as I sympathize with this, but can only realize that the framers of our Constitution had the same noble intentions. So imagine the abuse of this new utopian minded "law" under the fine leadership we have today...
EH wrote on July 17, 2007 4:23 PM:Mutt, that is an idiotic idea and this is the part where you say you were only joking. And we all know about the kinds of jokes that you have to explain.
Jake D. wrote on July 17, 2007 4:54 PM:I doubt that Mutt was joking.
Anonymous wrote on July 17, 2007 5:02 PM:Security code: "crime"!
Marilyn Garis wrote on July 17, 2007 5:07 PM:I don't have faith in any of these investigations going anywhere. They will just run out the clock as long as Fredo is in charge.
I am still waiting for the cover-up on the Gus Boulis murder to come out - USA in charge claims Abramoff and Kidan showed a tonement for their crimes with the La Cruz Casino fake loan purchase. And then they found the three mob patsys..... Please what have they really gotten from Big Jack -- other little teases to us.
Face-it the entire Justice Department will remain clouded as long as Gonzo is in charge.
Even Comey kept quite -- all those years - until the Attorney scandel.
You should see how the Prison industry is thriving here in Florida.