Lipinski staffers should return payments |
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Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Media contact: Patrick Corcoran (847) 687-7579
Democratic Congressional candidate Mark Pera on Tuesday called upon Congressman Dan Lipinski to direct his staff to return to donors or contribute to charity the payments they received from a state political campaign fund controlled by Lipinski's father - former Congressman and federal lobbyist William Lipinski.
According to the Daily Southtown (10/21 & 10/14) and the Chicago Sun-Times (10/7), Congressman Dan Lipinski's chief of staff and director of communications collected $13,500 in consulting fees from the "All-American Eagles" fund - a state political campaign fund - during 2006 and 2007.
Making matters worse is the fact that William Lipinski misrepresented the fund as one that benefits charitable causes in a solicitation letter sent out in August (see attached).
Pera said the newspaper reports raise some troubling questions.
"Why are members of Congressman Dan Lipinski's staff receiving income from his father - a lobbyist at both the state and federal levels? If Congressman Lipinski didn't know about this relationship, he should have. If he did, then why didn't he move to end it?" Pera said.
"If this isn't a violation of House ethics rules, it should be."
In the interest of full disclosure, Congressman Dan Lipinski, the two staffers in question - Chief of Staff Jerry Hurckes and Director of Communications Christopher Ganschow - and William Lipinski should report exactly what kind of work they do for William Lipinski to merit these payments, Pera said.
"These staff members are paid with federal tax dollars. I personally would never permit federal employees under my supervision to carry on a financial arrangement such as this one. As Congressman, I will call for additional ethics legislation to insure this type of conduct is prohibited and require my staffers to comply with the highest standards," he said.
To contact the campaign, please call (708) 579-2834. For more information on Mark Pera for Congress, visit www.PERA08.com.
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