Rep. Jahana Hayes Still Using Campaign Funds To Pay Family — Now Paying Herself, FEC Records Show

Henry RodgersApril 19, 2022

Democratic Connecticut Rep. Jahana Hayes, who was caught paying her family tens of thousands of dollars since entering Congress after the Daily Caller reviewed FEC records, has continued to pay her children with campaign funds and reimbursed herself for “petty cash,” possibly breaking the law.

In February, the Daily Caller first reported that during Q4 2021, Hayes used her campaign fund, called “Friends of Jahana Hayes,” to pay her son $15,118.54 since entering Congress.

The Q4 FEC records, reviewed by the Daily Caller, show that Hayes paid over $15,000 in increments of $282.47 each to a person with the name “David Crenshaw” under the category of “Payroll.” In 2018, the Hartford Courant reported Hayes’ son David Crenshaw, age 24, joined Hayes to celebrate her Congressional victory.

During Q4 2021, “Friends of Jahana Hayes” paid Hayes’ daughter Asia Clermont $2,551.41 from her campaign fund in increments of $359.25 each, and since entering Congress, she has paid her daughter $21,299.03.

Despite scrutiny for paying her adult children tens of thousands of dollars to store passwords on her campaign, Q1 FEC records show Hayes is still paying her daughter Asia Clermont upwards of $700 per month.

Q1 is from Jan. 1 through March 31 of 2022. The records became available April 15.

The FEC records also show Hayes is still paying her son, David Crenshaw, around $500 per month.

Hayes also reimbursed herself $250 dollars for “petty cash.” The FEC has strict rules about petty cash reimbursements, which could make Hayes’ petty cash reimbursement illegal.

Rep. Jahana Hayes Still Using Campaign Funds To Pay Family — Now Paying Herself, FEC Records Show 2

“A committee may make disbursements from a petty cash fund, but petty cash payments to one person for any one purchase or transaction may not exceed $100,” rules on the FEC’s website state. “Regardless of whether a disbursement is made by check or from a petty cash fund, the required recordkeeping information must be maintained.”

Rep. Jahana Hayes Still Using Campaign Funds To Pay Family — Now Paying Herself, FEC Records Show 3

Rep. Jahana Hayes (D-CT) pauses after she asked questions to Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos during a hearing before House Education and Labor Committee December 12, 2019 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)

Since Daily Caller’s reporting, Hayes has faced heat from local media, with some raising questions about her children’s involvement. (RELATED: Dem Rep. Who Was Caught Paying Family Thousands Of Campaign Funds Says Money Spent To Manage Passwords, Calendar)

Republican Connecticut candidate George Logan then immediately called on the House Committee on Ethics to investigate the legitimacy of Hayes’ children’s employment. Barbara Ellis, the manager of Hayes’ reelection campaign, said Hayes’ daughter handles campaign scheduling for her mother and Hayes’ son does digital and tech support.

The Daily Caller contacted Hayes’ office about the recent payments to her family and about reimbursement to herself, to which they did not immediately respond.