In 1995, Senator Russ Feingold introduced a bill that would have banned PAC contributions for "undermin[ing] public confidence in the Senate as an institution.”
In 2015, Senator Russ Feingold was busted for becoming a part of that very issue he built his career upon solving: undermining public confidence with contributions.
On this fifth anniversary of when he launched Progressives United, it’s clear that by padding his and his former staffers’ pocket books, Washington changed Russ Feingold far more than Russ Feingold set out to change Washington.
FEINGOLD FLASHBACK:
Feingold Used Money From Progressives United’s PAC And 501(c)(4) To Pay Himself And His Former Senate Staff
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Progressives United PAC Paid Feingold $77,000 From Over Three Years. “Feingold and nine of his former campaign and U.S. Senate staffers drew salaries or consulting fees from the PAC, federal election records show. Five of them also spent time on the payroll of Progressives United Inc., the nonprofit. … Feingold received $77,000 from the two groups, one of which spent $42,609 to buy hundreds of copies of the ex-senator’s latest book, ‘While America Sleeps.’ A Feingold spokesman said the candidate received no royalties from book sales to his PAC under an agreement with his publisher.” (Daniel Bice, “Russ Feingold’s PAC Funded Fees, Salaries For Former Staffers, Himself,” Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, 6/15/15)
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The PAC and 501(c)(4) Were Used To Pay Other Feingold Staffers. “Mary Irvine — Feingold’s longtime chief of staff — was paid a total of $317,823 by the PAC and nonprofit from February 2011 until July 2013, when she left to take a job joining Feingold at the U.S. State Department. Irvine was listed on federal tax reports as vice president of Progressives United Inc.” (Daniel Bice, “Russ Feingold’s PAC Funded Fees, Salaries For Former Staffers, Himself,” Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, 6/15/15)
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Feingold’s PAC Was Used To Pay Members Of Current Campaign Staff. “Cole Leystra — Feingold’s campaign comptroller for seven years — was paid $291,112 by Feingold’s PAC and nonprofit since February 2011, the month after Feingold left public office. Nancy Ballweg — Feingold’s executive assistant at the Senate for 18 years — was paid $169,403 from his PAC since 2011. Her LinkedIn page says Ballweg also worked as a consultant to a Middleton dermatologist during much of this same period. Christopher Louderback — another veteran Feingold campaign staffer — pulled down $164,389 from the PAC and nonprofit, acting as the treasurer for both groups. Louderback now is listed as the assistant treasurer for Feingold’s U.S. Senate campaign fund, which was registered with the federal election officials last month.” (Daniel Bice, “Russ Feingold’s PAC Funded Fees, Salaries For Former Staffers, Himself,” Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, 6/15/15)
- Only Five Percent Of Contributions To The PAC Were Given To Other Candidates. “Former U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold — long a champion of campaign finance reform — founded a political action committee that has given a mere 5% of its income to federal candidates and political parties. Instead, nearly half of the $7.1 million that Progressives United PAC has spent since 2011 has gone to raising more money for itself, according to data compiled by OpenSecrets.org. The data also show the group has paid another sizable chunk of money on salaries or consulting fees for Feingold, his top aide and eight former staffers.” (Daniel Bice, “Russ Feingold’s PAC Funded Fees, Salaries For Former Staffers, Himself,” Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, 6/15/15)
Through his scam PAC, Senator Feingold successfully achieved his goal of "reducing the flow of money in the electoral process."
Unfortunately for donors of Progressives United PAC and the candidates they sought to elect, Feingold only reduced the flow of money in the electoral process because he increased the money of flow in his pocket books.