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All in the Family

It seems that Washington is nothing but a big feeding trough for the members of Congress, lobbyists, and now, the family members of our distinguished lawmakers. Everybody's tucking away a little money here and there, it seems. Congress used to allow honorariums, but now have banned them.   But turn over the disclosure rock, and you'll still find free junkets, gifts, and now one of the latest twists, former congressional staff members becoming lobbyists, and rewarding their old bosses (and family members) with lucrative jobs and benefits.  

Here are a few that we're watching:

  • Rep. Jerry Lewis' stepdaughter, Julia Willis-Leon, was paid $40,000 since early 2005 by a political action committee funded mostly by donations from a lobbyist, Letitia White, who was a longtime aide of Lewis.  

  • DeLay's wife gets retirement account from lobbyist;  total to DeLay family:  $490,000.

  • A recent report shows that $50 million spent on privately funded trips for Members of Congress, spouses, and aides.

  • Rep. John Doolittle and wife putting campaign money in their pockets.

  • Rep. Curt Weldon under investigation for lobbying contracts given to his daughter, Karen.

Check out the reports of CREW on the House and Senate and family connections.