A comprehensive analysis of public records shows that Todd Akin — who has repeatedly voted against equal pay laws for women and has vigorously defended employers' rights to discriminate — has consistently paid his female staffers 23 percent less than their male counterparts on Akin's staff.
Over his 12 years in Congress, Akin paid his male staffers an average of $15,872.12 per quarter, while paying his female staffers an average of $12,872.12 per quarter. That represents a discrepancy of $14,880.20 per year. On average, Akin paid his female staffers 23.4% less than he paid his male staffers.
"Todd Akin thinks the free market allows for the freedom to discriminate, and that's clear in the way he pays women less than the men in his office," said Caitlin Legacki, McCaskill for Missouri spokeswoman. "Todd Akin is opposed to equal pay laws because he doesn't want to abide by them in his own office. If Todd Akin leads by example, Missouri's working women will continue to suffer a 23 percent disadvantage under Todd Akin's free market discrimination and Todd Akin is 100 percent right when he says this is a 'fundamental difference' between him and Claire."
The analysis is based upon publicly available figures on the total salary Akin has paid his male and female staffers over his entire time in office. The total salary paid to female staffers was divided by the total number of female quarters worked to calculate the average per quarter salary for his female staffers. The same calculation was then performed for Akin's male staffers and the resulting comparison was stark.
A similar analysis of Claire McCaskill's Senate office shows near-perfect parity between female and male staffers over her time in the Senate. On average, the difference in pay between women and men on McCaskill's staff is approximately $130.00 per quarter, compared to $3,720.05 per quarter on Akin's staff - a difference nearly thirty times the size of that on McCaskill's staff.
At a recent interview with KTRS, Todd Akin conceded to host Steve Cochran that the issue of equal pay provides "fundamental difference" between his record and Claire's. While Claire has fought for equal pay, Akin voted against the Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, which made it easier for women who are victims of wage discrimination to hold their employers accountable. And just last week, Akin doubled down on his opposition to paycheck fairness laws by telling the Springfield News-Leader editorial board that he believes equal pay for equal work makes us less competitive, destroys job and further destroys the economy. Akin believes that employers should be given the freedom to discriminate against their employees solely based on their gender.
Over his 12 years in Congress, Akin paid his male staffers an average of $15,872.12 per quarter, while paying his female staffers an average of $12,872.12 per quarter. That represents a discrepancy of $14,880.20 per year. On average, Akin paid his female staffers 23.4% less than he paid his male staffers.
"Todd Akin thinks the free market allows for the freedom to discriminate, and that's clear in the way he pays women less than the men in his office," said Caitlin Legacki, McCaskill for Missouri spokeswoman. "Todd Akin is opposed to equal pay laws because he doesn't want to abide by them in his own office. If Todd Akin leads by example, Missouri's working women will continue to suffer a 23 percent disadvantage under Todd Akin's free market discrimination and Todd Akin is 100 percent right when he says this is a 'fundamental difference' between him and Claire."
The analysis is based upon publicly available figures on the total salary Akin has paid his male and female staffers over his entire time in office. The total salary paid to female staffers was divided by the total number of female quarters worked to calculate the average per quarter salary for his female staffers. The same calculation was then performed for Akin's male staffers and the resulting comparison was stark.
A similar analysis of Claire McCaskill's Senate office shows near-perfect parity between female and male staffers over her time in the Senate. On average, the difference in pay between women and men on McCaskill's staff is approximately $130.00 per quarter, compared to $3,720.05 per quarter on Akin's staff - a difference nearly thirty times the size of that on McCaskill's staff.
At a recent interview with KTRS, Todd Akin conceded to host Steve Cochran that the issue of equal pay provides "fundamental difference" between his record and Claire's. While Claire has fought for equal pay, Akin voted against the Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, which made it easier for women who are victims of wage discrimination to hold their employers accountable. And just last week, Akin doubled down on his opposition to paycheck fairness laws by telling the Springfield News-Leader editorial board that he believes equal pay for equal work makes us less competitive, destroys job and further destroys the economy. Akin believes that employers should be given the freedom to discriminate against their employees solely based on their gender.
News-Leader: But is equal pay for equal work fair?
Akin: As I said, equal pay for equal work, when you use those terms, it implies you want the government to step in and do something about it. I'm saying no, I mean if somebody makes the case employee to employer, should pay this much money and two people agree to it, fine. If you can get more money out of your boss, negotiate a higher salary if you can.
We call that freedom and I just don't think the federal government should be getting into that area and legislating. It does one more step to making us less competitive, it's going to destroy jobs, further destroy the economy. It's the same kind of thinking that the federal government has to do everything for everybody that has gotten us in the mess we're in now.
Akin: As I said, equal pay for equal work, when you use those terms, it implies you want the government to step in and do something about it. I'm saying no, I mean if somebody makes the case employee to employer, should pay this much money and two people agree to it, fine. If you can get more money out of your boss, negotiate a higher salary if you can.
We call that freedom and I just don't think the federal government should be getting into that area and legislating. It does one more step to making us less competitive, it's going to destroy jobs, further destroy the economy. It's the same kind of thinking that the federal government has to do everything for everybody that has gotten us in the mess we're in now.
When pressed recently on his opposition to equal pay laws, Akin claimed that the highest-paid employee on his staff was a woman. That claim was later proven to be false, as Akin's male communications director is actually his highest-paid employee.
The revelations of Akin's pay discrimination join a long list of extreme policy positions articulated by the Congressman that would hurt Missouri's women and families. Recently, sexual assault survivors in Missouri began speaking out about Todd Akin's extreme views on women's health, and what those beliefs would mean for Missouri women and families.
BACKGROUND:
Akin Has Paid His Female Staffers 23 Percent Less Than His Male Staffers. Between 2001 and 2012, Akin paid the male staffers in his House office an average of $15,872.12 per quarter, while paying his female staffers an average of $12,872.12 per quarter. On average, Akin has paid his female staffers $14,880.20, or 23.4%, less than he paid his male staffers during his time in the U.S. House of Representatives. [Legistorm]
Akin Said His Position On Equal Pay Was A "Fundamental Difference" With McCaskill. In an interview with Steve Cochran on KTRS Radio in October 2012, Cochran asked Akin about his position on equal pay laws. Akin responded, "My idea is, this is a big fundamental difference between Claire McCaskill... I believe that negotiating salaries should be between the employer and the employee. That was my position on that subject." [Akin interview on KTRS, 10/4/12]
Akin Reiterated His Opposition To Equal Pay Laws, Claimed They "Destroy Jobs" And "Destroy The Economy." During an interview with the Springfield News-LeaderEditorial Board in October 2012, Akin reiterated his opposition to equal pay laws. Akin said, "As I said, equal pay for equal work, when you use those terms, it implies you want the government to step in and do something about it. I'm saying no, I mean if somebody makes the case employee to employer, should pay this much money and two people agree to it, fine. If you can get more money out of your boss, negotiate a higher salary if you can. We call that freedom and I just don't think the federal government should be getting into that area and legislating. It does one more step to making us less competitive, it's going to destroy jobs, further destroy the economy. It's the same kind of thinking that the federal government has to do everything for everybody that has gotten us in the mess we're in now." [Akin interview with Springfield News-Leader Editorial Board, 10/8/12]
Akin Voted Against the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act. In January 2009, Akin voted against final passage of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009. This piece of legislation guarantees equal pay for women by making it easier for women who are the victims of wage discrimination to seek redress against their employers. [Vote 37, 1/27/09]
Akin on Equal Pay Laws: "Another Overreach of Government." "The U.S. Senate plans to vote Tuesday on legislation that would strengthen protections for women suing their employers over equal pay in the workplace...U.S. Rep. Todd Akin, R-St. Louis, said the legislation is unnecessary and would be 'another overreach of government' into business. 'This is just another example of the government tampering in a whole lot of stuff that is decided in the marketplace,' Akin said. 'There are -- within our free enterprise system -- forces that say that if someone is a better employee, you want the better employee working and doing the job.'" [Politicmo, 6/4/12]
In Missouri, the median pay for a woman working full time, year round is $32,481 per year, while the median pay for a man is $42,292. [National Partnership for Women and Families, April 2012]
According to a 2010 study, a mother was either the breadwinner or a co-breadwinner in nearly two-thirds of American families. When women's wages are lower as a result of gender pay discrimination, families lose out on earned income and purchasing power. [Center for American Progress, 4/16/12]
The revelations of Akin's pay discrimination join a long list of extreme policy positions articulated by the Congressman that would hurt Missouri's women and families. Recently, sexual assault survivors in Missouri began speaking out about Todd Akin's extreme views on women's health, and what those beliefs would mean for Missouri women and families.
BACKGROUND:
Akin Has Paid His Female Staffers 23 Percent Less Than His Male Staffers. Between 2001 and 2012, Akin paid the male staffers in his House office an average of $15,872.12 per quarter, while paying his female staffers an average of $12,872.12 per quarter. On average, Akin has paid his female staffers $14,880.20, or 23.4%, less than he paid his male staffers during his time in the U.S. House of Representatives. [Legistorm]
Akin Said His Position On Equal Pay Was A "Fundamental Difference" With McCaskill. In an interview with Steve Cochran on KTRS Radio in October 2012, Cochran asked Akin about his position on equal pay laws. Akin responded, "My idea is, this is a big fundamental difference between Claire McCaskill... I believe that negotiating salaries should be between the employer and the employee. That was my position on that subject." [Akin interview on KTRS, 10/4/12]
Akin Reiterated His Opposition To Equal Pay Laws, Claimed They "Destroy Jobs" And "Destroy The Economy." During an interview with the Springfield News-LeaderEditorial Board in October 2012, Akin reiterated his opposition to equal pay laws. Akin said, "As I said, equal pay for equal work, when you use those terms, it implies you want the government to step in and do something about it. I'm saying no, I mean if somebody makes the case employee to employer, should pay this much money and two people agree to it, fine. If you can get more money out of your boss, negotiate a higher salary if you can. We call that freedom and I just don't think the federal government should be getting into that area and legislating. It does one more step to making us less competitive, it's going to destroy jobs, further destroy the economy. It's the same kind of thinking that the federal government has to do everything for everybody that has gotten us in the mess we're in now." [Akin interview with Springfield News-Leader Editorial Board, 10/8/12]
Akin Voted Against the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act. In January 2009, Akin voted against final passage of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009. This piece of legislation guarantees equal pay for women by making it easier for women who are the victims of wage discrimination to seek redress against their employers. [Vote 37, 1/27/09]
Akin on Equal Pay Laws: "Another Overreach of Government." "The U.S. Senate plans to vote Tuesday on legislation that would strengthen protections for women suing their employers over equal pay in the workplace...U.S. Rep. Todd Akin, R-St. Louis, said the legislation is unnecessary and would be 'another overreach of government' into business. 'This is just another example of the government tampering in a whole lot of stuff that is decided in the marketplace,' Akin said. 'There are -- within our free enterprise system -- forces that say that if someone is a better employee, you want the better employee working and doing the job.'" [Politicmo, 6/4/12]
In Missouri, the median pay for a woman working full time, year round is $32,481 per year, while the median pay for a man is $42,292. [National Partnership for Women and Families, April 2012]
According to a 2010 study, a mother was either the breadwinner or a co-breadwinner in nearly two-thirds of American families. When women's wages are lower as a result of gender pay discrimination, families lose out on earned income and purchasing power. [Center for American Progress, 4/16/12]
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