DNC Host Committee Hands Out Nearly $1 Million in Taxpayer Funded Bonuses

The Philadelphia host committee used some of the $1 million in leftover money it raised for the DNC to pay bonuses for staff. A large portion of which game from Pennsylvania taxpayers.

Via The Pittsburgh Gazette:

The Philadelphia 2016 Host Committee used some of the leftover money it raised for the Democratic National Convention to pay nearly $1 million bonuses to staff and volunteers, prompting the Republican head of the state Senate to call for an audit.

The rewards, which ranged from $500 for interns and volunteers to $310,000 for executive director Kevin Washo, were paid in November, four months after the convention. The amounts were listed in a year-end report filed with the Federal Election Commission on Jan. 31.

Former Gov. Ed Rendell, who served as chairman of the host committee, said that when he hired committee staff in 2015, he told them that in return for what he saw as low pay, he would take care of them at the end.

“If we do come out and raise enough money, we will decide what to do with it, but a significant part is bonuses and I told that to almost everyone we hired,” Rendell said Thursday.

The committee raised $86 million, of which $10 million, the largest amount, came from Pennsylvania taxpayers. After all payments were settled with vendors, the committee was left with a surplus of about $4 million.

On Nov. 25, all 12 of the host committee staff received bonus checks.

Here are some of the bonuses paid out to individuals…

Rose, who was paid between $9,000 and $10,000 monthly by the committee, received a $43,238 bonus.

Chief finance officer Jason O’Malley, who was paid about $8,000 monthly by the committee, received a $220,000 bonus. Rendell said O’Malley’s fundraising work deserved a “performance bonus.”

Other staff bonuses range from $13,357 for the office manager, who was paid $3,000 monthly; to $58,286 for communications director Anna Adams-Sarthou, who was paid between $4,000 and $5,000 per month.

Washo, who had a monthly salary of $13,000 for two years starting in March 2015, received the most.

In contrast, the Host Committee for the RNC did not give their staff bonuses with any leftover money….

The Cleveland 2016 Host Committee, which raised money for the Republican National Convention, had about $500,000 left after all bills were settled, Emily Lauer, spokeswoman for the committee, said Thursday.

“We gave three $50,000 grants to three different nonprofits, which were selected by the [host committee] officers,” Lauer said.

No bonuses were given to the Cleveland host committee staff. That committee is holding onto the leftover money for “a few years for any potential obligations,” she said.

When Philadelphia hosted the Republican National Convention in 2000, no bonuses were given to the host committee staff.

What should we expect from corrupt, money grubbing Democrats? They took taxpayer money and gave bonuses to their staff even after getting shellacked at the polls. At least they are consistent as they love to take taxpayer money to pay for their LOSING ideas.

Joseph Scarnati, Pennsylvania Senate President Pro Tempore, says he will be sending a letter to the Auditor General to investigate.

Read the rest of the report by the Pittsburgh Gazette here.

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Cristina began writing for The Gateway Pundit in 2016 and she is now the Associate Editor.

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Thanks for sharing!