The National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) has accused Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA) and his family of engaging in “cynical self-dealing” and “graft.” In 2006, Casey ran for Senate on a platform of reform, promising to “end a culture of scandal and self-dealing” in Washington, D.C., even revealing an ethics plan at the restaurant formerly owned by disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff. Now, as Casey seeks reelection for his fourth term in office, questions are being raised about his family’s relationship with his official position as senator.
According to NBC News, Casey has a brother who registered to lobby for a semiconductor manufacturer shortly after he supported a bill aimed at expanding opportunities for the industry. Another brother works as a law partner of someone who helps Casey recommend federal judges, and that firm’s employees have donated over $225,000 to Casey’s campaigns. A sister owns a printing company that has received over half a million dollars worth of work from Casey’s campaigns.
The NRSC is now highlighting this relationship between Casey’s family and his role as the senior senator from the Keystone State, launching an ad called “Casey Cartel” and creating a website, CaseyCartel.com, to emphasize these concerns. NRSC spokesperson Philip Letsou stated, “Bob Casey and his family have displayed a pattern of corruption that should infuriate Pennsylvanians.
The New York Post reported in March 2023 that Sen. Bob Casey’s campaigns have funneled more than half a million dollars to a printing company owned by his sister and brother-in-law, raising ethics questions about their family business arrangement spanning over two decades. Politico wrote in February 2023 that Patrick Casey, Sen. Casey’s brother, registered to lobby last year on issues ranging from the opioid epidemic to human trafficking.
Broad + Liberty reported in October 2023 that Casey’s family relationships have intersected with his regular business as a senator on more than one occasion, which could be viewed as an appearance of a conflict of interest. In response, Letsou said, “Bob Casey promised to change Washington. Two decades later, it’s clear Washington has changed him. The Casey Cartel’s decades of graft and cynical self-dealing are catching up to them and voters don’t like what they see.