The godfather of campaign finance, Russ Feingold, has been using his political action committee, Progressives United, to pay his staff to sit around rather than donate to any candidates.
The Washington Free Beacon reported:
Longtime campaign finance reform proponent and former Sen. Russ Feingold (D., Wis.) founded a political action committee that has given just 5 percent of its income to federal candidates and political parties.
It has spent more than $7.1 million, but nearly half of the proceeds have gone to "raising more money for itself.” Feingold, a top aide and eight former staffers have also received a sizable amount.
Feingold’s Progressives United PAC, whose purpose is aimed at supporting progressive candidates whose values align with the PAC’s, has allowed the majority of its budget go to raising money for itself and paying former Feingold staffers.
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, who originally broke the story, elaborated, saying:
Feingold’s PAC spent $7.1 million to generate a little less than $2 million in direct and indirect financial support for federal candidates and political parties.
The Republican Party of Wisconsin Executive Director commented on the story saying,
"It is the ultimate hypocrisy that Mr. Campaign Finance … (took) millions from unsuspecting donors to pay himself and his friends to sit around before launching another desperate campaign," Fadness said via email.
As a proponent of PAC regulations, it is hypocritical for Feingold to allow his PAC to raise large amounts of money to simply pay people to wait around for the announcement of his next campaign.
This story follows the news that Russ will be flying back out to California to teach at Stanford until mid-November.
It must be pretty difficult to run for Senate in Wisconsin while living in California.
However before heading back to California, Feingold will be attending a fundraiser hosted by former Playboy CEO, Christie Hefner. Washington Free Beacon said of the event:
Hefner is holding the reception for Feingold at her Chicago home. The least expensive tickets cost $1,000, but $2,700 co-host tickets and $5,400 host tickets are also available.
The pricey event will be held in Illinois. This is not the first time Hefner will be helping Feingold. She also donated "$2,500 to Feingold, most of which came during his failed Senate campaign in 2010."
Hypocrite Russ Feingold will be raising money in Illinois with Hefner, living and teaching in California, and running for Senate in Wisconsin all while trying to have it both ways using PAC money.