Political Spouses and Potential Conflicts

The Post examines how what an officeholder’s spouse does for a living is a legal and political issue.

The husbands and wives of elected officials long have been considered fair game, especially those in high-profile, high-paying jobs. But now, with the rise of bloggers and the march of 24-hour news, they’ve never been more visible — or as vulnerable to the rough and tumble of the campaign.

Republicans have been criticizing [Jackie Clegg Dodd] for the $400,000 a year she earns as a director of several corporate boards, with the state GOP chairman questioning whether she got the posts because of the political clout of her husband. The senator is chairman of the Senate Banking Committee and facing his toughest re-election fight in 2010.

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