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Senate office. Compensation figures for his legislative staff reveal that Obama pays women just 83 cents for every dollar his men make. A watchdog group called LegiStorm posts online the salaries for Capitol Hill staffers. "We have no political affiliations and no political purpose except to make the workings of Congress as transparent as possible," its website explains. Parsing LegiStorm's official data, gleaned from the Secretary of the Senate, offers a fascinating glimpse at pay equity in the World's Greatest Deliberative Body.

The most recent statistics are for the half-year from Oct. 1, 2007 to March 31, 2008, excluding interns and focusing on full-time personnel. For someone who worked only until, say, last Feb. 29, extrapolating up to six months' service simplifies this analysis. Doubling these half-year figures illustrates how a year's worth of Senate employees' paychecks should look. Based on these calculations, Obama's 28 male staffers divided among themselves total payroll expenditures of $1,523,120. Thus, Obama's average male employee earned $54,397. Obama's 30 female employees split $1,354,580 among themselves, or $45,152, on average. Why this disparity?

One reason may be the under-representation of women in Obama's highest-compensated ranks. Among Obama's five best-paid advisors, only one was a woman. Among his top 20, seven were women. … McCain's 17 male staffers split $916,914, thus averaging $53,936. His 25 female employees divided $1,396,958 and averaged $55,878. On average, according to these data, women in John McCain's office make $1.04 for every dollar a man makes. In fact, all other things being equal, a typical female staffer could earn 21 cents more per dollar paid to her male counterpart -- while adding $10,726 to her annual income -- by leaving Barack Obama's office and going to work for John McCain. How could this be? One explanation could be that women compose a majority of McCain's highest-paid aides. Among his top-five best-compensated staffers, three are women. Of his 20-highest-salaried employees, 13 are women. The Republican presidential nominee relies on women -- much more than men -- for advice at the highest, and thus, best-paid levels. If anyone on McCain's Senate staff is unhappy, McCain's male staffers might complain they seem to get a slightly raw deal." (Deroy Murdock, Op-Ed, "Obama Only Talks Good Game On Gender Pay Equity," Seattle Post-Intelligencer , 9/11/08)

· Columnist Deroy Murdock: "In short, these statistics suggest that John McCain is more than fair with his female employees, while Barack Obama -- at the expense of the women who work for him -- quietly perpetuates the very same pay-equity divide that he loudly denounces. Of all people, the Democratic standard bearer should understand that equal pay begins at home." (Deroy Murdock, Op-Ed, "Obama Only Talks Good Game On Gender Pay Equity," Seattle Post-Intelligencer , 9/11/08)

FACT CHECK: From October 2007 Through March 2008, Full Time Male Employees In The Senate Office Of Sen. Barack Obama Earned An Average Annual Salary Of $9,226.49 More Per Employee Than Full Time Female Employees:

The Average Annual Salary For Male Employees Employed In The Senate Office Of Sen. Barack Obama Was $54,379.16. According to salaries paid to employees between October 1, 2007 and March 31, 2008, Obama’s senate staff employed 28 males as full-time employees at some point during this six month period. The employees’ projected salaries, based on their pay and time employed, rounded to the nearest week, was $1,523,120.49, or $54,397.16 per male employee. (Legistorm Website, www.legistorm.com , Accessed 9/1/08)

The Average Annual Salary For Female Employees Employed In The Senate Office Of Sen. Barack Obama Was $45,152.67. According to salaries paid to employees between October 1, 2007 and March 31, 2008, Obama’s senate staff employed 30 females as full-time employees at some point during this six month period. The employees’ projected salaries, based on their pay and time employed, rounded to the nearest week, was $1,354,580.02, or $45,152.67 per female employee. (Legistorm Website, www.legistorm.com , Accessed 9/1/08)

Of The Five Highest Paid Obama Staffers, Only One Is Female. (Legistorm Website, www.legistorm.com , Accessed 9/1/08)

Of The 20 Highest Paid Obama Staffers, Only 7 Are Female. (Legistorm Website, www.legistorm.com , Accessed 9/1/08)

FACT CHECK: From October 2007 Through March 2008, Full Time Male Employees In The Senate Office Of Sen. John McCain Earned An Average Annual Salary Of Nearly $1,942.21 Less Per Employee Than Full Time Female Employees:

The Average Annual Salary For Male Employees Employed In The Senate Office Of Sen. John McCain Was $53,936.15. According to salaries paid to employees between October 1, 2007 and March 31, 2008, McCain’s senate staff employed 17 males as full-time employees at some point during this six month period. The employees’ projected salaries, based on their pay and time employed, rounded to the nearest week, was $916,914.62, or $53,936.15 per male employee. (Legistorm Website, www.legistorm.com , Accessed 9/1/08)

The Average Annual Salary For Female Employees Employed In The Senate Office Of Sen. John McCain Was $55,878.36. According to salaries paid to employees between October 1, 2007 and March 31, 2008, McCain’s senate staff employed 25 females as full-time employees at some point during this six month period. The employees’ projected salaries, based on their pay and time employed, rounded to the nearest week, was $1,396,958.88, or $55,878.36 per female employee. (Legistorm Website, www.legistorm.com , Accessed 9/1/08)

Of The Five Highest Paid McCain Staffers, Three Are Female. (Legistorm Website, www.legistorm.com , Accessed 9/1/08)

Of The 20 Highest Paid McCain Staffers, 13 Are Female. (Legistorm Website, www.legistorm.com , Accessed 9/1/08)

Paul Babbington
California Republican Party
Victory '08
pbabbington@cagop.org