Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) has come under fire after financial records exposed huge payments he has been funneling to his stepson, David Driscoll.
A financial paper trail revealed that Driscoll has received an estimated $800,000 since 2018 through the Sanders Institute.
The “nonprofit” was founded by the senator’s wife, Jane O’Meara Sanders.
Driscoll serves as the executive director of the Sanders Institute.
According to public filings, Driscoll was paid approximately $150,000 in 2023.
The organization, registered as a 501(c)(3), brings in between $200,000 and $300,000 annually through contributions and grants.
The records raise questions about where the money is going.
After the organization pays Driscoll’s salary, along with other staff and operations, there wouldn’t be much left to fund its stated cause.
The Sanders Institute was co-founded by the socialist senator’s wife and her son Driscoll in 2017.
It describes its mission as promoting “progressive voices” and revitalizing democratic engagement.
Jane Sanders told The Washington Post:
“The purpose is to revitalize democracy in the support of progressive institutions.
“Our feeling is at our point in time, our country is at a crossroads, and people are engaged in a political process that can be opaque.”
“A vital democracy requires an