A small victory for ethics

Via CQ, we learn:
The House passed legislation Monday that would bar candidates from paying their spouses to work on their campaigns, despite scattered Republican objections to Democratic leaders bypassing the normal committee process.
This is a good move by the Democrats. And in case you are wondering who exactly in Congress is paying his/her spouse:
...the wife of Rep. Joe L. Barton, R-Texas, (was) paid $57,759 by her husband’s campaign during the 2006 election cycle; the wife of Rep. Elton Gallegly, R-Calif., was paid $55,464 in that cycle; the wife of Rep. Bart Stupak, D-Mich., was paid $78,240 in that cycle; the wife of Rep. Pete Stark, D-Calif., was paid $57,800 in the 2006 cycle; and Gohmert’s wife was paid $73,905 in that cycle.

Rep. John T. Doolittle, R-Calif., formerly employed his wife, Julie, as his campaign’s primary fundraiser and paid her a 15 percent commission.
Doolittle, of course, is in not-so-little doo-doo over the payments to his wife. TPMMuckraker has the full coverage.

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