The Stimulus Made McCaskill Rich

A million dollars in stimulus money went directly to Claire McCaskill's family business?

In 2009, President Obama and Claire McCaskill pushed the stimulus bill as vital to saving our economy. Although McCaskill claims the bill was “wildly successful” most Americans know the truth. It’s wasted money through scandals like Solyndra and unemployment is still over 8%. It now gets worse. Claire McCaskill’s family business received $1 million in tax dollars directly from the stimulus.

Let’s back up.

Prior to passage, McCaskill declared that she was part of a group of Senators who went through the bill “line by line” to eliminate wasteful spending in the bill. [video] McCaskill also claimed that she helped pull out “spending that belonged in appropriations.” [video] McCaskill also said that every project in the stimulus would have to compete for funding. [The Associated Press, February 20, 2009]

Unfortunately, when it came to her family business, these rules didn’t apply. Claire McCaskill, a former auditor, eliminated funding in the stimulus for education and veterans [video], but left in the funding that resulted in her family business receiving nearly a million dollars. 

According to public disclosures, the following properties are owned by Claire’s husband and received non-competitive grants from the stimulus:

• Milan Manor Project (IL): $403,200
• Sunset Hills Apartments Project (NM): $293,501
• Marston Apartments Project (MO): $98,553
• Saddlewood Apartments Project (MO): $90,880
• Applegate Apartments Project (KS): $80,136

TOTAL NON-COMPETITIVE STIMULUS GRANTS AWARDED TO MCCASKILL FAMILY BUSINESS: $966,270 

Full research packet available here (pdf).