Mark Penn, who worked as Clinton's pollster during her 2008 presidential run, reportedly received $5.97 million from the $787 billion stimulus package so he could preserve three jobs at his public relations firm. Almost $6 million in federal stimulus funds were given to two firms run by Hillary Clinton's former presidential campaign strategist, The Hill newspaper reported Wednesday.
Mark Penn, who worked as Clinton's pollster during her 2008 presidential run, reportedly received $5.97 million from the $787 billion stimulus package so he could preserve three jobs at his public relations firm, Burson-Marsteller.
The firm has gained attention for securing a contract to work on a campaign advertising the nation's switch from analog to digital television. The Hill reported that $2.8 million of that contract was given to Penn's polling firm, Penn, Schoen & Berland Associates.
Republicans have blasted the use of federal stimulus dollars, claiming the money has gone to many projects that have little or nothing to do with job creation.
Senators John McCain, R-Ariz., and Tom Coburn, R-Okla., held a news conference Tuesday in which they released a report criticizing 100 projects paid for by the stimulus package that they claim wasted $7 billion.
