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Caught Our Eye

Loudermilk hires wife of his chief of staff

Posted by Jenna Ebersole on July 9, 2015

Rep. Barry Loudermilk's (R-Ga.) chief of staff and his wife are sharing more than just the married life.

Rob Adkerson came to the Hill with Loudermilk in January after running the congressman's campaign. His wife for nearly three decades, Ashley Adkerson, joined the congressman's staff in May as a staff assistant. 

Federal law prohibits employees from hiring or recommending the hiring of close relatives, though House ethics rules allow members to employ staffers who are related to each other but not to the member. Loudermilk's spokeswoman Shawna Mercer said Rob Adkerson "recused himself from the final decision" on his wife's hiring.

"As with many of our current staff, there was a previous relationship, and as a need arose a position was filled," Mercer said by email.

Mercer said Ashley Adkerson joined the staff on May 22 and Loudermilk is not concerned about a conflict of interest with the hire. Ashley Adkerson has no previous congressional experience, according to salary records since 2000.