Ralph Abraham Breaks Campaign Promise And Stiffs Sick Children And Wounded Veterans

Congressman pledged to donate his salary but instead pocketed it

During his 2014 campaign, Congressman Ralph Abraham told Louisianans, “It should be an honor and a privilege to serve your country and NOT a paid position.” This pledge was at the core of his platform to take on “career politicians” and bringing a small government approach to the office. In fact, he told constituents they “should not pay a penny for representation.”
Well, a new report from The Advocate found that his promise was as empty as his suit.
Instead of donating his salary, as promised, to St. Jude’s, which cares for sick children, and the Independence Fund, which assists seriously wounded military veterans, he pocketed between $348K – $696K. He now claims that he only kept his word in his first term before deciding to break his pledge and start taking his salary in his second term, but without removing the pledge from his website and without telling anyone. But there’s one problem: according to The Advocate, he can’t even prove he donated his first term salary.
Ralph Abraham, who owns a private plane, is by far the wealthiest member of Louisiana’s House delegation.
“Ralph Abraham must explain to Louisianans why he would so brazenly disregard a key plank of his campaign platform and stiff organizations that help sick children and wounded veterans,” said DGA Deputy Communications Director David Turner. “If he can’t be trusted to help some of Louisiana’s most vulnerable, why would people trust his word on anything? Rep. Abraham needs to verifiably prove that he has made good on his pledge and donated his salary, otherwise he’s disqualified himself as a candidate for governor.”
Read The Advocate’s full story here.