Rep. Donna Edwards in the News: Cited by ‘Dirty Money Watch’ & Wants a Pay Raise

Rep. Edwards votes for wage increase for members of Congress.
Gazette, 3 May 2010 (Ford).

U.S. Rep. Donna F. Edwards of Fort Washington was the only member of the Maryland House delegation and one of only 15 congressional representatives nationwide to vote for a cost-of-living pay increase for House members.
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House members make $175,000 annually.

State Del. Herman L. Taylor Jr. (D-Dist. 14) Ashton, who is expected to challenge Edwards in the Democratic primary, said voting for a pay increase in the current economy sends the wrong message.

“People are getting furloughed,” he said. “I took voluntary furloughs along with other state employees. I don’t know if it’s political theater. I think every little bit helps. It is tight times, and every dollar counts.” [Full story]

Trending: Thank You

Dirty Money Watch: Rep. Donna Edwards, D-Md.
Examiner, 4 May 2010 (Hemingway).

WHO: Rep. Donna Edwards, D-Md.

WHAT: Edwards received $5,000 from Rep. Charles Rangel’s, D-N.Y., National Leadership PAC, the political action committee of the powerful New York Democrat who was chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee that writes tax law.

WHY IT’S DIRTY: Rangel is being investigated on multiple issues by the House ethics committee, including failure to report income from properties he owns in New York and the Dominican Republic. A company that gave $1 million to a New York school facility that will bear Rangel’s name subsequently received lucrative tax breaks, and he has reportedly solicited political contributions on official stationary. Rangel has been admonished by the House ethics committee and forced to give up his Ways and Means Committee chairmanship.

WILL EDWARDS GIVE IT BACK? Edwards did not respond to the Washington Examiner’s request for comment.

THE SCORE:

Number of Democrats who have given it back: 19

Number of Republicans who have given it back: 0

DONATED THIS OR OTHER DIRTY MONEY WATCH-HIGHLIGHTED CONTRIBUTIONS TO CHARITY: Rep. Steve Israel, D-N.Y., Rep. Nita Lowey, D-N.Y., Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, Rep. Allyson Schwartz, D-Pa., Rep. Ed Perlmutter, D-Colo., Rep. David Price, D-N.C., Rep. Jim Himes, D-Conn., Rep. Bill Foster, D-Ill., Rep. Jerry McNerney, D-Calif., Rep. Gary Peters, D-Mich., Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Ariz., Rep. Debbie Halvorson, D-Ill., Rep. Mary Jo Kilroy, D-Ohio, Rep. Larry Kissell, D-N.C., Rep. Suzanne Kosmas, D-Fla., Rep. Joe Donnelly, D-Ind., Rep. Harry Mitchell, D-Ariz., Rep. Tim Walz, D-Minn., Rep. John Hall, D-N.Y.

YOUR TURN: You can reach Edwards’ Washington office at 202-225-8699. Don’t know who is your congressman? Go to house.gov and look in the upper left-hand corner. Don’t know who are your state’s two senators? Go to senate.gov and look in the upper right-hand corner.

Dirty Money is researched and written by Mark Hemingway of the Washington Examiner’s editorial page staff, with the help of Examiner researcher Heather Hunt.



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