AWKWARD!?! John McCain Is Lindsey Graham's BFF, But Jeb Bush's Asst Treasurer Is (Also) On MCCAIN'S Payroll (IT'S A SMALL, SMALL WORLD...and a BIG, BIG 2016 FIELD)

This could make for some awkward conversations (and potential conflicts of interest), or maybe it is only a matter of the political world being too small for the ever-expanding universe of presidential candidates.

John McCain (R-AZ) is best friends with fellow Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC)

(from Time.com)

and is Graham's biggest cheerleader for his 2016 Presidential campaign.  However, one of only three people on McCain's (campaign's) payroll - week-in and week-out - is Salvatore Purpura. Purpura is listed as Assistant Treasurer for Friends of John McCain, Inc.

However, McCain's Mr. Purpura is ALSO currently serving as the Assistant Treasurer for presidential rival Jeb Bush's campaign corporation.

(from Breitbart.com, possibly from AP)

Brian Rogers, McCain's Communications Director, tells Arizona's Politics that "there's no conflict there at all".  "Sal has worked in treasury operations for Senator McCain's campaign committees for many years, going back to his last presidential campaign. Sal got his start in politics working for Governor Bush, and worked on three of his campaigns."

With the long, long list of major Presidential candidates seeking the two major parties' nominations, this is probably not the only instance of people working for multiple officials' campaigns who might be pulling in different directions.

* * * * *

On a side note, with McCain's campaign's four employees all working in or near Washington, D.C., Communications Director Rogers also tells Arizona's Politics that the Senator "is staffing up in Arizona now." (Watch this space for "announcements in the near future.")


* Arizona's Politics digitally-stumbled upon this information while attempting to find a McCain campaign press person to ask questions about another subject. McCain had not yet hired a campaign spokesperson.  Arizona's Politics has reached out for comment to the new Communications Director for the campaign, and will supplement this article as warranted. 


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