Press Releases

As first reported by The Daily Caller, Congressman Pat Fallon (TX-04) recently introduced The Family Integrity to Reform Elections (FIRE) Act. Current law allows for candidates to pay their immediate family members at market rates for a bona fide service to the campaign. However, this loophole has allowed for millions of dollars to flow out campaigns and into the bank accounts of the candidate’s family members with little proof they are contributing.

This legislation would address this problem by: 

• Prohibiting any campaign funds from going to the candidate’s immediate family and holding the candidate directly responsible for knowingly violating this provision. 
• Clarifying the definition of immediate family in the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971. 
• Punishing violators with a $100,000 fine or two times the amount paid to the family member — whichever is greater. Violators may face up to 2 years in prison in addition to fines. 

Congressman Fallon issued the statement below: 

“The Family Integrity to Reform Elections (FIRE) Act is a critical step to reducing nepotistic practices in American campaigns. Allowing direct family members to be on the take of campaigns must come to an end. For example, Maxine Waters, the worst perpetrator, has given her daughter over $1.1 million in campaign funds. This is utterly egregious, and I will not stand by as the integrity of our elections is further diminished.”