Udall Backs Candidate Anti-Corruption Act

UDALL BACKS CANDIDATE ANTI-CORRUPTION ACT

Colorado Congressman Mark Udall (D-Eldorado Springs) today joined as a cosponsor of legislation sponsored by Rep. Phil English (R-PA) which would prohibit the use of campaign funds for the payment of a salary to a candidate running for federal office or to pay the salary to the candidate's immediate family.

Before 2002, the Federal Election Commission prohibited campaigns from paying salaries to candidates because it amounted to a conversion of campaign money to a candidate's personal funds. In 2002, the FEC voted to allow federal candidates to receive a salary from their campaigns, effectively allowing candidates to use campaign funds to pay for personal uses such as food, clothing, utilities and mortgages, which is prohibited by federal law.

Current law also allows a candidate to pay an immediate family member a salary from a campaign account for campaign-related work. Udall said that this is a gaping loophole in campaign finance law and that the Candidate Anti-Corruption Act would close it and ensure that campaign funds go toward legitimate uses and not toward enhancing a candidate's lifestyle.

"In effect, the 2002 FEC ruling allowing candidates to use campaign funds to pay salaries to themselves or their family members enables them to evade the federal law that prohibits candidates from using campaign funds for personal expenses. This is a loophole big enough to drive a truckload of money through. Campaign accounts should be used for legitimate campaign expenses, not as a slush fund that candidates or their family members could use to pay for their personal expenses. Coloradans expect their elected officials to act ethically and appropriately and I'm pleased that Rep. English has sponsored this important piece of legislation. I'll work with him to get it passed in the House," said Udall.

Rep. English, who authored the legislation said: "It defies common sense that our campaign finance system allows federal candidates to channel special interest campaign donations directly to family members. The bipartisan legislation which I and Representative Udall are proposing would close this loophole and eliminate an obvious vehicle for abuse. I deeply appreciate Mr. Udall's support on this initiative."

http://markudall.house.gov/HoR/CO02/Newsroom/Press+Releases/2007/UDALL+BACKS+CANDIDATE+ANTICORRUPTION+ACT.htm