(ConservativeSense.com) – Democratic California Rep. Maxine Waters is being scrutinized over her campaign finances and, like most politicians, she appears to be above to law. Republicans are criticizing Waters for using campaign money to pay for various services for her daughter, Karen Waters, who’s been receiving the money from the congresswoman.
According to disclosures of Waters’ campaign finances, the congresswoman “continued her long-held practice” of sending campaign money to her daughter, steering “thousands” to Karen Waters in 2023’s second quarter.
Waters’ campaign paid over $1.2 million to her daughter since 2003. The money went toward slate-mailer operations, and other items listed under “administrative services,” “rally expenses,” and “fundraising.”
Slate mailing is a strategy used in campaigns in which mailers and pamphlets are distributed to voters, typically containing a list of candidates who are endorsed, as well as ballot measures and other recommendations to voters. The point of this practice is to influence voters and help them find candidates to choose from who align with their values. Waters paid her daughter over $80,000 for this campaign service in 2022.
This revelation comes amid wider scrutiny of politicians’ finances from Republicans and watchdog organizations who are looking into lawmakers using campaign funds to directly support members of their families.
Democratic Rep. Cori Bush is also facing a few ethics complaints due to payments her campaign sent to a security professional named Cortney Merritts from Missouri who Bush married in February. A fellow member of “The Squad,” Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, is also dealing with ethics complaints.
Although the practice of using funds to pay family members for services isn’t technically illegal, it raises ethical concerns regarding nepotism. According to the Federal Elections Commission, politicians are permitted to pay family members if the rates are considered to be of “fair market value.”
Likely, Waters won’t face any consequences for the ethics complaint.
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