Mike Huckabee’s PAC Paid His Family Almost $400,000
Source: Mother Jones
Politics is a family business for potential Republican presidential candidate and former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee. Over the last six years, the Fox News host's political action committee, which was created to raise money for GOP candidates, has paid nearly $400,000 to members of Huckabee's extended family, while spending just a fraction of its multimillion-dollar fundraising haul on the Republican contenders.
Huck PAC, which Huckabee launched in 2008 after dropping out of the Republican presidential race, "is committed to electing conservatives across the nation at all levels of government," according to a statement on its website. But according to review of Federal Election Commission records, a significant portion of the money the PAC has collected has gone into the salaries of family members or the coffers of direct-mail fundraising firms.
Katherine Harris, Huckabee's niece, was paid $165,042 between 2008 and 2013 (plus benefits), first as a staffer for the PAC and then as a contract worker. Sarah Huckabee, his daughter, received $104,308 between 2008 and 2010 as the PAC's executive director. And Huckabee's daughter-in-law, Lauren Huckabee, who Politico reported in 2012 manages her father-in-law's schedule, donor relations, and endorsements, has been paid $111,274 for her work at Huck PAC. The ex-governor's short-lived non-profit, America Takes Action, Inc. previously paid her $60,548.
Responding to questions about PAC expenditures to Huckabee relatives, Huck PAC executive director Chad Gallagher said in a statement, "The family who worked on Governor Huckabee's presidential campaign in 2008 helped get the PAC started and no family members have been on the PAC's payroll in over two years."
Read more: http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2015/01/mike-huckabee-pac-paid-his-family-almost-400000
LuckyLib
(6,819 posts)FreakinDJ
(17,644 posts)FreakinDJ
(17,644 posts)arcane1
(38,613 posts)But that can't be true!
BumRushDaShow
(129,367 posts)and the "candidate" (in quotes) can actually take control of it and "manage it" (in quotes) after they (naturally) drop out, and can do what they want with the money raised... or...errr... use it to support other "candidates" (n quotes).
tanyev
(42,600 posts)Omaha Steve
(99,698 posts)http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/huckster
noun
1.
a retailer of small articles, especially a peddler of fruits and vegetables; hawker.
2.
a person who employs showy methods to effect a sale, win votes, etc.:
the crass methods of political hucksters.
3.
a cheaply mercenary person.
4.
Informal.
a persuasive and aggressive salesperson.
a person who works in the advertising industry, especially one who prepares aggressive advertising for radio and television.
verb (used with object), verb (used without object)
5.
to deal, as in small articles, or to make petty bargains:
to huckster fresh corn; to huckster for a living.
6.
to sell or promote in an aggressive and flashy manner.
Frustratedlady
(16,254 posts)It's a money-making venture for their own bank accounts and they don't care who they rip off while filling those accounts. There is no way a sane person would subject themselves to the humiliation thrown at them each and every day unless they ended up with enough money to live on comfortably until the next go-round.
I wouldn't donate to a Republican for any reason. I'm even cautious on the Democrats, but I don't think they are as bad as the Republicans...definitely not as bad as the Tea Partiers.
stillwaiting
(3,795 posts)Amazing how many times this keeps happening.
I'm sure Jeb is just really lucky though.
To be clear: I believe just about ALL Republican politicians are corrupt. I just find it interesting who gets exposed. And when. And who benefits.
Of course most people who like Huckabee won't be swayed by this. But still.
Fred Sanders
(23,946 posts)fleece the flock and tske PAC money.
What is wrong with country when such con men are respected by any media?
KT2000
(20,586 posts)restock the coffers. He knows he can't win and he has nothing to say.
trof
(54,256 posts)Couldn't be.
quadrature
(2,049 posts)I thought this was rather normal.
example.
the Clinton Foundation picks up
the travel expenses of three people.
$8 million a year