by Gloria Allen

Created on: November 06, 2007   Last Updated: January 31, 2008

Absolutely not.

Firstly, using campaign funds to benefit a family member misrepresents the true intention and function of the received funds, which is tantamount to fraud. When a person, organization, business or any other entity donates money to a campaign, it is because the candidate purportedly needs the money her/himself for campaign expenses - or for some reason that helps the Congress person's office to fulfill its elected objective.

But, as the public has come to discover from their would-be or in-fact elected officials, rarely if ever, is it disclosed prior to accepting monies, that those funds are needed and will be spent to buy the spouse a new car or a vacation home; or to put a child through college, etc. Instead, these unpleasant facts regarding the misuse of a Congress person's funds emerge in the media through one of the national news channels, creating shame and embarrassment in both the elected official as well as in the Congress person's supporters. Failure to disclose the true purpose of the funds received is deceitful and once a Congress person is discovered to be dishonest -which has become almost the standard impression of politicians who promise the sky but once elected, deliver nothing but excuses - there is little, if anything that he/she can do to resuscitate their careers. Integrity is about the highest value that an elected politician must live up to - whether that politician delivers on their promises or whether those speeches that got him/her elected were all just lies or "campaign talk" in order to get votes.

If the member of Congress realizes that an excess of funds from what was originally sought, was received and there is now a surplus, then the right thing to do is to graciously return those funds to the donor. Again, integrity.

Similarly, a candidate running for office or an already elected official should also not be able to use their office to help family members - nepotism and is one of the oldest misuses of power common to public officials as well as going against our democratic principles that allows the American people to decide by their votes, who gets into office and what is done with taxpayer money. Allowing a family member to assume a position in the politician's office who may be unqualified and lack experience, also does not serve the politician's constituent's interests.

The act of benefiting a family member through one's position in office may take many forms - whether or not the family member benefits directly and

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