Dem leader pays son for congressional campaign work

Senate Majority Leader Troy Jackson (D-Aroostook) has hired his 23-year-old son to work on his campaign to become Maine’s next member of Congress.

Jackson paid his son, Chace, $5,671.20 in the months of August and September, according to an October quarterly report filed with the Federal Election Commission. The report also shows that Jackson has paid himself $1,213.73 in reimbursements for his mileage and cell phone.

Alan Lindquist, Jackson’s campaign treasurer, confirmed that the younger Jackson is drawing a gross salary of $4,000 per month for his fundraising services.

“We are very confident in Chace’s fundraising ability as shown by the results of our fundraising for the quarter,” said Lindquist. “As campaign manager and former financial services director for the [Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee], I feel confident he will continue to grow in the job and prove his worth.”

The Jackson campaign raised $71,558 in the October quarter.

[RELATED: Poliquin, Cain and Pingree post top fundraising totals…]

Sen. Emily Cain (D-Penobscot), also a Democratic candidate for Congress, has paid her finance director, J. Levi Knapp, a roughly similar amount. According to Cain’s most recent FEC report, Knapp’s monthly after-tax pay from the Cain campaign is $3,265.

Cain’s report also includes a $5,250 payment to Grindstone Research, the same Nashville-based firm U.S. Rep. Michael Michaud has hired to dig up dirt on his opponents in the gubernatorial election. Grindstone’s Vice President and Senior Editor Carol Andrews specializes in negative political attacks.

[RELATED: Michaud campaign hires mudslinging specialist…]

The FEC reports the Republican candidates have submitted do not show any payments to campaign personnel.

Steve Robinson
Maine Wire Reporter
SERobinson@themainewire.com