Being related to a politician can be lucrative.
In recent years, the wife and daughter of former Sen. Jim Webb (D-VA) were paid roughly $100,000 by “Born Fighting PAC,” a committee Webb chaired while in Congress.
The revelation comes just a month after Webb launched an exploratory committee and hinted he may challenge Hillary Clinton for the Democratic presidential nomination.
Webb’s PAC took in about $1 million and was set up to support candidates who favored “reorienting our national security posture,” among other issues. But Federal Election Commission records show that about 10 percent of the PAC’s money went to Webb family members.
“Records show Webb’s committee essentially ceased political activities once he revealed his decision to depart Congress,” Hunter Walker reports at Business Insider. “However, Born Fighting PAC continued to contribute to Webb’s family long after it stopped giving to the candidates and groups it was ostensibly established to support.”
Walker reports that “Born Fighting PAC” has continued taking donations, several years after Webb retired from Congress. He transferred some $100,000 from his Senate campaign account to the PAC.
This year alone, the PAC has paid Jim Webb’s daughter at least $24,000 for “administrative consulting services.” His wife, Hong Le Webb, has earned almost $15,000 this year, mostly for “website services.” There may be more payments, as a final financial report from the PAC doesn’t have to be released until next year.
Webb, a former Secretary of the Navy, served one term in the Senate. He chose not to seek re-election in 2012. He’s considering challenging Clinton, who enjoys an overwhelming early lead in the 2016 contest.