A top House Democrat used campaign money to pay his brother’s company nearly $70,000 over the past decade.
Since 2007, Rep. Joe Crowley, D-N.Y., has paid Killean Enterprises LLC at least $69,700 in campaign money to rent office space outside of his district, according to the New York Post. Killean Enterprises is owned by Crowley’s brother Sean, who also works as a lobbyist in the New York City office of Davidoff Hutcher & Citron LLP.
According to the Post’s report, “The House Ethics Manual’s chapter on campaign activity notes that leasing office space from a family member is permitted only when there’s a ‘bona fide campaign need’ and when the campaign ‘does not pay more than fair-market value.'”
With the office in question being located outside Crowley’s district, that argument could be difficult to make.
In a comment to the Post, a spokesperson for Crowley claimed the rental arrangement “was done so on the advice of legal counsel.”
The Post also noted that Crowley already has office space at the Queens Democratic Headquarters, only three miles away from the Killean property.
Given his powerful position as the chairman of the House Democratic Caucus, Crowley is sure to face tough questions over this report.
In a conversation regarding President Trump’s tax returns with CNBC last month, Crowley said, “I’m glad the president showed the courage to release his tax proposal. But not his taxes, unfortunately … Because I think we need to know exactly how he will benefit from his proposal.”
Fair enough. But voters will likely also want to know how Crowley’s family benefitted from his rental arrangement too.
Emily Jashinsky is a commentary writer for the Washington Examiner.
