Conservative watchdog organization FACT has accused Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) of a conflict of interest, alleging he supported legislation that led to $6.9M+ in federal grants to Ocean Conservancy, where his wife, Sandra, is a paid consultant, earning millions over the years, something that has repeatedly been used as a bludgeon against the senator online.
For context, FACT called it a “circular relationship,” in violation of ethics rules. Whitehouse dismissed it as recycled “dark money smears” from billionaires targeting his Supreme Court probes. Since the news reached social media, conservatives have been utterly enraged by the blatant corruption.
Describing the situation, Kendra Arnold, FACT executive director, noted, “Senator Whitehouse advocated and voted for legislation that led to $6.9 million of taxpayer funds being paid to an organization that his wife works for and receives an income from.”
Building on this point, Arnold added, “It is this type of circular relationship between a Senator and an organization that lobbies and pays his wife a salary that the public is rightfully fed up with. Congressional rules are in place to ensure our taxpayer dollars are going to serve our nation and that our Senators are not behaving in a manner that would call this into question.”
Concluding her comments, she said, “While these two grants alone appear to be a conflict of interest, it is even more egregious in the context of Senator Whitehouse’s long history of working on legislation being lobbied for by organizations tied to his wife.”
Desperate to distance himself from these damning allegations, the Rhode Island Democrat issued a statement, which alleged, “This is a repeat dark money performance, and the previous attempt by a dark money group to plant these same smears was roundly dismissed by Senate Ethics.”
Still not done, the Democrat claimed, “The billionaires and Supreme Court capture operatives behind FACT would like to try to stop Senator Whitehouse from shining a light on what they’ve done to deprive regular people of a fair shake before the Court.”
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When news of these allegations reached social media, users were furious. “You are such a sewer rat. Corrupt scumbag sheldon whitehouse,” one post read, skewering Sen. Whitehouse in response to his siding with far-left Cory Booker during Booker’s lengthy filibuster attempt.
“Why [doesn’t Congress] end giving NGO’s our tax money? … Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse pushed appropriations of $14.2 million to an NGO that hired his wife. From there Mrs. Sheldon Whitehouse took $2.7 million,” another pointed out, noting that such things should not be possible in America.
Demanding accountability, yet another poster on X said, “Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse funneled over $14M in federal grants to Ocean Conservancy, where his wife Sandra raked in $2.7M. Ethics complaint filed, but his team cries ‘politics.’ Corruption or coincidence? Taxpayers deserve answers!”
Another poster, hammering Sen. Whitehouse for continuing to push talking points that appear to financially benefit him, said, “Well well well…Of course Sheldon Whitehouse is still pushing climate change. Whitehouse has been caught voting on bills that funneled millions to his wife’s environmental consulting firm. She was paid at least $2.7 million of TAXPAYER money. Crook.”
Featured image credit: By Preiss / MSC – https://securityconference.org/mediathek/asset/sheldon-whitehouse-0840-18-02-2018/, CC BY 3.0 de, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=69438923