John Sununu put his sister on the campaign payroll

John Sununu’s U.S. Senate campaign paid his sister, Catherine Sununu, more than $36,000 in consulting fees. Sununu also paid himself more than $15,000.

These payments were disbursed between March and June of this year, according to campaign finance reports. The payments to Catherine were coded as “Fundraising Consulting,” while the Sununu payments were labeled as “Reimbursement-See Memo.” It does not appear, however, that a memo was provided.

The Sununu family is a force in New Hampshire politics. Sununu’s father, John H. Sununu, was governor from 1983 to 1989 before serving as White House chief of staff to President George H.W. Bush. Sununu’s brother, Chris, was governor from 2017 until last year. Sununu previously served in the U.S. Senate from 2003 to 2009.

The family is also incredibly wealthy. Sununu’s other brother, Michael, founded the investment firm Sununu Holdings LLC. Sununu is a shareholder in the company. In 2024, John H. Sununu transferred 900,000 shares of mining stock into the company’s coffers.

Sununu’s net worth is up to $36.3 million, while Chris Sununu is estimated to be worth $7.4 million. This considerable wealth is likely to raise questions about why Sununu and his sister are on his campaign’s payroll.

Catherine Sununu previously came under scrutiny for profiting from her family’s political power. In 2017, her interior design company was paid $50,188 for providing “supplies and decor” for Chris Sununu’s inauguration. Catherine served on the inaugural committee that authorized the expense.

The Union Leader reported that Catherine’s company did not have a website or working phone number. She told the paper that her company received the payment because she “did everything” to plan the inauguration.

Sununu’s bid to return to the Senate is expected to be competitive. He will face former Massachusetts Sen. Scott Brown in a Sept. 8 primary. The winner will likely face Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas in the general election.