By Editorial Staff, Bucyrus, OH Telegraph Forum, July 31, 2007

31 Jul 2007 // This may seem like common sense to those of us outside the world of politics, but it hasn't been until recently for those inside the beltway.

The U.S. House last week voted to end the practice of putting spouses on campaign payrolls by approving the Campaign Expenditure Transparency Act, thereby ending the possibility of your campaign contribution going into the private pockets of the candidate.

Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington has posted on its Web site a searchable database of lawmakers who have employed relatives on their campaign staffs, or have donated to relatives through political action committees.

CREW reports representatives have used $5.1 million in campaign donations to help relatives, either by having them on payroll, donating to their campaigns or paying their employers.

That's $5.1 million that should have gone to the candidates' campaign war chests, not to what amounts to their own well-being and that of their families. Concerned Americans who donate to campaigns do so because they believe in a candidate, what they promise and their strategy for the future.

Five of Ohio's representatives are on the list, including Rep. Paul Gillmor, a Republican whose district includes Crawford County.

According to the CREW Web site, Gillmor's campaign committee conducts financial campaign-related business with a bank in which he holds stock and from which he receives a pension. His campaign committee has also made a $10,000 donation to his wife's campaign for state office.

It doesn't take a great deal of thought to realize those kinds of things should not happen.

Donors don't necessarily expect it to go into the family coffers by way of the campaign treasury. Perhaps if they knew what was really being done with their cash, they wouldn't be so quick to write the check in the first place.

This legislation is a good step in slowly repairing some of the damage done to our political system of late. Many Americans are tired of not having their voices heard, of hearing the same rhetoric and of their money being used for ill-gotten gains.

Take a look at recent polls. The credibility ratings of Congress is so low among the populace, it wouldn't even make for a good stepstool.

Kudos to California Rep. Adam Schiff for introducing and the House for passing this piece of legislation. It may be a mark toward gaining back some credibility with the American people.