Analysis of Durbin’s Staff Salaries Show the Senator Engaged in War on Women

The Washington Times revealed on Tuesday that Illinois’ U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D), who is leading the Equal Pay Day push by Senate Democrats to pass the Paycheck Fairness Act, pays women on his staff far less than he pays men.

On the Senate floor on Tuesday, Durbin preach the importance of passing legislation aimed at solving the gender pay gap, saying: “How serious is equal pay for equal work to working people across America. I think it’s critical.”

But it was revealed that Durbin doesn’t practice what he preaches. According to an analysis of Senate salary data from fiscal year 2013, the average female salary in Durbin’s office is $11,505 lower than the average male salary. In fact, more than two-thirds of Democratic Senate offices pay men more than women.

In addition, four of the five highest paid staffers on Durbin’s staff are men, according to the analysis. And not a single member of the Senate Democrat leadership has a female chief of staff or communications director, the Washington Times points out.

“A male-dominated comms leadership staff is trying desperately to start a messaging war—claiming Republicans are the ones who oppose women having more opportunity and getting paid more in the workforce?” a female senior leadership aide for a Republican told the Washington Times.