Raphael Warnock Doubles Income in Congress After Accusing 2020 Opponent of Self-Enrichment

U.S. Democratic Senate candidate Raphael Warnock delivers remarks during a campaign rally
Drew Angerer/Getty Images
Wendell Husebo

Incumbent Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-GA) has more than doubled his income while serving in Congress after accusing his 2020 opponent of enriching herself in the same seat.

Warnock’s income increased from $221,602 before the 2020 election to $532,781 in 2021, the Washington Free Beacon reported. Warnock’s reported 2021 income includes:

  • Senate salary, $164,816
  • Ebenezer Baptist Church, $120,964
  • Ebenezer Baptist Church housing allowance $7,417-per-month
  • Penguin Random House/Book deal, $243,750
  • Speaking fees, $5,750

Warnock’s income spike as a senator comes after he slammed former Republican Sen. Kelly Loeffler of holding the seat to increase her wealth. Loeffler was already one of the most wealthy members of Congress before she ran for office.

“I’m ok with the fact that she wants to make money,” Warnock had said of Loeffler. “I just think you shouldn’t use the people’s seat to enrich yourself. You should use the people’s seat to represent the people.”

WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 06: U.S. Sen. Kelly Loeffler (R-GA) waits for the beginning of a ceremonial swearing-in at the Old Senate Chamber of the U.S. Capitol January 6, 2020 in Washington, DC. Sen. Loeffler was appointed to the seat to succeed former Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-GA), who resigned for health reasons. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)

Sen. Kelly Loeffler (R-GA) waits for the beginning of a ceremonial swearing-in at the Old Senate Chamber of the U.S. Capitol January 6, 2020 in Washington, DC. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)

Warnock’s previous comments could come back to haunt him as questions have arisen about whether Warnock personally benefited from voting for the American Rescue Plan. Breitbart News reported Warnock voted for the coronavirus stimulus package that handed $75,000 to a social justice group his church founded. The group, the Martin Luther King Sr. Collaborative, is run by the church, which compensates Warnock huge amounts of money:

From 2016 to at least 2020, Warnock was the CEO of Martin Luther King Sr. Collaborative, which was founded by the Ebenezer Baptist Church, where the senator raked in $120,000, including benefits, in 2021 on top of his $174,000 Senate salary. Both the church and the social justice group reportedly share the same address.

…

It should be noted that Martin Luther King Sr. Collaborative’s new CEO, Kenneth Palmer, also sits on the board of Ebenezer Baptist Church, the same house of worship that pays Warnock $52,000 more than the median American household income.

Warnock stated a year after the coronavirus package passes the Senate that he was “so proud to have secured more than $550 million from the American Rescue Plan to help bolster our broadband networks and am glad to see this money has already paid dividends.”

Warnock is currently challenged by Trump-endorsed Republican candidate Hershel Walker in the November primary. Polling shows Warnock with a slight lead in the race.
Follow Wendell Husebø on Twitter @WendellHusebø. He is the author of Politics of Slave Morality.

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