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Hillary Clinton's Top Aides Still Being Paid by Campaign Nearly One Year After Defeat

Most have remained by Clinton's side post-election

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October 24, 2017

A number of longtime aides to failed Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton are still being paid from her campaign committee nearly one year after her defeat, Federal Election Commission filings show.

The aides—who have remained close to Clinton, some working with her as a private citizen—have through the end of the third quarter collected thousands of dollars in payments from Hillary for America, Clinton's presidential campaign committee, the most recent filings show.

Huma Abedin, Clinton's longtime friend and aide who acted as vice chair of the campaign, has been paid nearly $65,000 between mid-November to the end of June. From the beginning of July until the end of September, during the third quarter, Abedin was paid a little more than $2,000, bringing her total payments to around $67,000 since the election.

Nicholas Merrill, former Hillary for America spokesman, has been paid $24,357 this year from the campaign.

Jenna Lowenstein, who was the deputy digital director for Clinton's campaign, received $7,831.59 from the campaign in January. After these payments, Lowenstein was paid $27,508.48 between February and April from Priorities USA, the largest liberal super PAC that backed Clinton's presidency.

Lowenstein was later again compensated $8,750 from Clinton's campaign for digital consulting and technology services between April and late September, the filings show.

Kelly Mehlenbacher, the treasury manager for Hillary for America, has been paid $38,117 from the campaign this year.

Mehlenbacher became the chief operating officer of Onward Together, a political action group launched by Clinton earlier this year to fund established anti-Trump "resistance" groups that can quickly counter Trump and Republicans with direct action and protests, in May.

Clinton's campaign transferred $800,000 of its funds to Onward Together on May 1, the Washington Free Beacon previously reported.

Robert Russo, one of Clinton's closest aides who has been with her for a decade and was in charge of correspondence for the campaign, has been paid nearly $36,000 in 2017 from Hillary for America. Russo now works in the Office of Hillary Rodham Clinton, Clinton's personal office.

Opal Vadhan, advance associate for Hillary for America, has collected $12,200 from the campaign this year.

Grady Keefe, also a member of the campaign who has accompanied Clinton on recent book signings, has pulled in $17,300.

Elizabeth Jones, the chief operating officer of Hillary for America, has taken in $95,000 from the campaign this year.

Merrill, Abedin, Russo, Vadhan, and Keefe have stayed alongside Clinton's side post-election, New York Magazine noted in an article detailing her life following her defeat last November.

Clinton's campaign treasurer did not return a request for comment on the continued payments by press time.