lily
05-28-2008, 09:28 PM
All in the family. (http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2004439913_ronpaul27.html?syndication=rss)
Ron Paul's payroll all in the family
By Matthew Mosk
The Washington Post
WASHINGTON - Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, has built a national following largely
by preaching an isolationist foreign policy. Stick with your own kind, says
the maverick presidential candidate.
And that's more or less what he has been doing over the past few months,
putting relatives in a slew of key positions and paying them a total of
$169,063, according to the latest campaign finance reports.
Paul's granddaughter Valori Pyeatt helps organize fundraising receptions and
has been paid $17,157. Another granddaughter, Laura Paul ($2,724), handles
orders for Ron Paul merchandise. Grandson Matthew Pyeatt ($3,251) manages
his MySpace profile. Daughter Peggy Paul ($2,224) helps with campaign
logistics. Paul's sons Rand and Robert and his daughter Joy Paul LeBlanc
have all been paid for campaign travel and for appearing as surrogates at
political events.
Who keeps track of all these finances? Paul's brother and daughter,
naturally, who have been paid a combined $62,740 to handle the campaign's
accounting.
Campaign aides said they discussed the possibility that involving so many
family members could create the impression that nepotism was driving hiring
decisions, but ultimately they saw no problem with the practice.
"You always think about those kinds of things," said Jesse Benton, Paul's
spokesman and, it just so happens, the fiancé of one of the candidate's
granddaughters (he has been paid $54,573). "But his family is very important
to him. There is something important about having a family element involved
in a campaign. Having people around you that you can unconditionally trust."
Paul has received relatively few votes in his insurgent bid for the
Republican nomination, but he has attracted an extraordinarily dedicated
following that has flooded his campaign coffers with more than $30 million
in donations. Even after releasing a video on his Web site in March
indicating that he no longer expected to win the Republican nomination, Paul
has continued to collect and spend.
Most of the money has gone to typical campaign expenses on television, radio
and Internet ads, on travel expenses, and on political advice from
consultants and strategists. But unlike other presidential candidates, Paul
has also made room on his payroll for his extended brood.
There are no laws prohibiting candidates from hiring relatives, though the
Federal Election Commission does require family members to be qualified for
the job and be paid the going rate for their work. Melanie Sloan of the
group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington said her
organization has twice issued reports critical of the practice among members
of Congress.
Sloan said this was not the first time Paul has hired relatives to perform
campaign work on his behalf. The group found payments to daughter Lori
Pyeatt during his three previous congressional races, and payments to
grandson Matthew Pyeatt and daughter Joy LeBlanc during Paul's 2004
congressional campaign.
Spending by the campaign has slowed considerably over the past month. Paul
spent $470,862 in April, leaving him with $4.7 million remaining.
Now, as he tours the country, Paul is drawing attention to his book, "The
Revolution: A Manifesto," which currently ranks seventh on the New York
Times bestseller list.
The parent company of the book's publisher, Hachette Book Group USA, also
turns up as a vendor to the campaign. The Paul campaign paid the publisher
$1,115 in April.
Asked about the expense, Benton said the campaign "purchased about 60 books
to give to supporters."
Ron Paul's payroll all in the family
By Matthew Mosk
The Washington Post
WASHINGTON - Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, has built a national following largely
by preaching an isolationist foreign policy. Stick with your own kind, says
the maverick presidential candidate.
And that's more or less what he has been doing over the past few months,
putting relatives in a slew of key positions and paying them a total of
$169,063, according to the latest campaign finance reports.
Paul's granddaughter Valori Pyeatt helps organize fundraising receptions and
has been paid $17,157. Another granddaughter, Laura Paul ($2,724), handles
orders for Ron Paul merchandise. Grandson Matthew Pyeatt ($3,251) manages
his MySpace profile. Daughter Peggy Paul ($2,224) helps with campaign
logistics. Paul's sons Rand and Robert and his daughter Joy Paul LeBlanc
have all been paid for campaign travel and for appearing as surrogates at
political events.
Who keeps track of all these finances? Paul's brother and daughter,
naturally, who have been paid a combined $62,740 to handle the campaign's
accounting.
Campaign aides said they discussed the possibility that involving so many
family members could create the impression that nepotism was driving hiring
decisions, but ultimately they saw no problem with the practice.
"You always think about those kinds of things," said Jesse Benton, Paul's
spokesman and, it just so happens, the fiancé of one of the candidate's
granddaughters (he has been paid $54,573). "But his family is very important
to him. There is something important about having a family element involved
in a campaign. Having people around you that you can unconditionally trust."
Paul has received relatively few votes in his insurgent bid for the
Republican nomination, but he has attracted an extraordinarily dedicated
following that has flooded his campaign coffers with more than $30 million
in donations. Even after releasing a video on his Web site in March
indicating that he no longer expected to win the Republican nomination, Paul
has continued to collect and spend.
Most of the money has gone to typical campaign expenses on television, radio
and Internet ads, on travel expenses, and on political advice from
consultants and strategists. But unlike other presidential candidates, Paul
has also made room on his payroll for his extended brood.
There are no laws prohibiting candidates from hiring relatives, though the
Federal Election Commission does require family members to be qualified for
the job and be paid the going rate for their work. Melanie Sloan of the
group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington said her
organization has twice issued reports critical of the practice among members
of Congress.
Sloan said this was not the first time Paul has hired relatives to perform
campaign work on his behalf. The group found payments to daughter Lori
Pyeatt during his three previous congressional races, and payments to
grandson Matthew Pyeatt and daughter Joy LeBlanc during Paul's 2004
congressional campaign.
Spending by the campaign has slowed considerably over the past month. Paul
spent $470,862 in April, leaving him with $4.7 million remaining.
Now, as he tours the country, Paul is drawing attention to his book, "The
Revolution: A Manifesto," which currently ranks seventh on the New York
Times bestseller list.
The parent company of the book's publisher, Hachette Book Group USA, also
turns up as a vendor to the campaign. The Paul campaign paid the publisher
$1,115 in April.
Asked about the expense, Benton said the campaign "purchased about 60 books
to give to supporters."