Democratic South Carolina Rep. James Clyburn reportedly used over six figures from his campaign funds to pay members of his family during the 2022 midterm elections.
According to Fox News, Clyburn forked over tens of thousands of dollars to a company linked to his son-in-law, as well as nearly $100,000 to his grandson, as shown in the records from the Federal Election Commission.
Filings further show that his family received $57,500 from 49 Magnolia Blossom LLC for rent-related charges during the most recent election season. Jennifer Clyburn Reed, his daughter, is closely connected to that business.
Walter A. Reed, the spouse of Clyburn Reed, is listed as the registered agent of the limited liability firm in South Carolina corporate documents.
The longtime congressman also paid his grandson Walter A.C. Reed $94,000 in “campaign management fees” during the midterm election season, according to his papers.
While it’s legal for federal politicians to pay family members from their campaigns, ethical experts argue that doing so is immoral. In spite of this, both political parties have taken advantage of the benefit.
Reporters have reached out to Clyburn’s office for comment, but did not immediately return the request.
Clyburn is a close ally of President Joe Biden, helping him win South Carolina during the 2020 presidential primary. And after winning the election, Biden nominated the congressman’s daughter, Clyburn Reed, for the position of federal co-chair of the Southeast Crescent Regional Commission in 2021.
The high-profile Democrat has since come forward with an enthusiastic endorsement for a second Biden term.
“I’m all-in for President Biden,” Clyburn recently told CBS’ Robert Costa in an interview. “I think he’s demonstrated, in these two years … that he is deserving of re-election. And I do believe he will be re-elected irrespective of who the Republicans, they put up.”
When asked if he expects the president to face large opposition, he said, “I don’t think he will, and I don’t think he should.”
Biden is rumored to launch his re-election campaign in the coming weeks, following months of speculation. According to multiple sources familiar with the situation, the president is planning to announce his intentions to run for a second term in the White House in the coming weeks.
