Democrat Rep. Dan Kildee (D-MI) is under fire for using nearly $200,000 in taxpayer dollars to pay one of his wealthy campaign donors for luxury office space over the past three years, a Washington Free Beacon report revealed.
As the Free Beacon reported:
Rep. Dan Kildee, who represents Michigan’s fifth district, was first elected in 2012. Since 2019, he has rented office space in the Dryden Building, a luxury property in Flint, Mich., owned by Phil and Jocelyn Hagemen. House records show Kildee spending roughly $12,000 to nearly $15,000 a quarter on the office space, which boasts exposed brick and marble window sills.
Kildee seems to be getting a sweetheart deal on the office’s rent, as the building’s financial statements show the congressman pays less for his office than any other tenant.
“Internet provider CenturyLink is a fellow tenant at the Dryden Building and pays $18.29 per square foot. Kildee, in contrast, pays $12.85 per square foot,” the Free Beacon reported. “Advanced Local Media LLC, one of the building’s largest tenants, pays $14 per square foot.”
Interestingly, The Hagemens have donated several thousands of dollars to Kildee’s campaigns since 2012, according to campaign finance documents.
Top ethics watchdogs are questioning Kildee’s relationship with the Hagemens, given that House ethics rules prohibit members from entering into leasing agreements with anyone they “have had, or continue to have, a professional or legal relationship.”
Kendra Arnold, the Foundation for Accountability and Civil Trust executive director, told the Free Beacon that Kildee’s relationship with the Hagemens may not be a “wise thing to do.”
Arnold said:
It may fall into the category of where it is not a wise thing to do, or something that constituents may not approve of because of the relationship. The Federal Elections Commission is not looking at these disclosures closely, they’re just looking to see if there are any major red flags, like if numbers don’t add up. They do not examine each individual expenditure. The real oversight comes from the public.
Kildee’s deal with the Hagemens is not the first time he has been scrutinized for financial matters. The Michigan Democrat has taken nine special interest-funded vacations worth more than $100,000, often bringing his family with him.
Kildee’s destinations included “Denmark, India, Sudan, Lebanon, and three trips to Israel, where he often stays in luxury hotels,” Breitbart News reported last month.
BUSTED: Rep. Dan Kildee (D-MI) took over $100,000 in special interest-funded vacations since his time in office, often bringing his family with him. https://t.co/5RubywvATr
— Breitbart News (@BreitbartNews) August 27, 2022
Although Kildee has tried to distance himself from the Democrat party by calling out President Joe Biden’s spending bills and omitting the party’s name from his ads, he is one of the most unyielding Democrats in office.
For example, Kildee votes with Biden 100 percent of the time, according to FiveThirtyEight’s data. Further, Kildee serves as one of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s (D-CA) whips, where his job is to pressure other Democrats into voting with the party’s leadership.
Redistricting has forced Kildee to run for reelection in Michigan’s eighth congressional district, making this cycle “his toughest reelection fight yet,” according to a fundraising plea Pelosi sent out on his behalf.
Republican Paul Junge, a former Trump administration official challenging Kildee, has made the race a toss-up, according to Real Clear Politics.
Jordan Dixon-Hamilton is a reporter for Breitbart News. Write to him at jdixonhamilton@breitbart.com or follow him on Twitter.
COMMENTS
Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.