Public money puts Republican Bachmann on the defensive (AP)

St. PAUL, Minnesota – Republican Michele Bachmann tour as the village of criticizing the Government as too big and too expensive, the Republican candidate for Presidency came under mounting public scrutiny more dollars flowing to family business interests.

There is $259,000 in federal grants paid since 1995 to a family farm that Bachmann is a part owner. Another $ 30,000 went to Bachmann and Associates Consulting clinic over the past five years from various government agencies in Minnesota, including a small payment recorded the day after the official kickoff of the 2012 Congressman.

In addition, at least $ 137,000 came from Medicaid programs for patients with mental health clinic, run by her husband, Marcus Bachmann.

All the money through legitimate channels. Bachmann keeps none of farm subsidies in liquidation in the Pocket, although he disclosed the income on his financial disclosure forms. And most public payments to the clinic are connected to the services that it provided, even if it has received a grant of federal health for employee training.

The regime threaten to pose problems for the tea party — and could give rivals with an opening to exploit in advertisements or other ways, such as the White House race drags on. All week, Bachmann was forced to explain how his fervent talk about bloated government squares with a family who sometimes benefit.

Question Monday on commodity subsidies to the family farm, Wisconsin, insisted to the Associated Press that "none of the income goes to my husband and I. All income goes to the farm ".

Campaigning in South Carolina, on Wednesday, Michele Bachmann would discuss nor Marcus the money which draws its Medicaid program from the clinic, Minnesota officials administer using a mix of State and federal money. Payments were first reported by NBC News.

Instead, print campaign that Secretary Alice Stewart issued a statement saying that it would be "discriminatory" to dismiss Clinic patients enrolled in the subsidized program. "As a consulting service sponsored by the State, Bachmann and Associates has the responsibility to Medicaid and medical care, regardless of financial situation of the patient," Stewart wrote.

His routine healthcare Minnesota Medicaid payments draw, said Karen Smigielski, spokesman for the Minnesota Department of Human Services.

"To be able to serve customers on our programs you must register as a provider. Most everyone in a matter of course, "he said. "So almost anyone not healthcare serves some of our customers."

Smigielski said the $ 137,000 paid for the clinic in the last seven years is not all because the amount reflects only invoiced directly to the State received. Some patients in public programs that have used the clinic are in managed care health plans managed separately, but the State won't compile ordinarily costs.

The clinic Bachmann also received about $ 24,000 — divided between the State and federal Governments — for a grant program to train the counselors who treat people with both mental illness and substance abuse. According to documents of the State, the money was intended to cover loss of income provided to clinics during the training.

Over the years, the clinic has received smaller payments from other public entities, some for the provision of psychiatric assistance to crime victims and others to help officials determine eligibility for services to disability or rehabilitation. An agency of Minnesota sent $ clinic Tuesday, a day after the formal announcement of Bachmann's campaign in Iowa.

During his career in Congress and state legislature Bachmann has fashioned itself as one of the fiercest enemies of public expenditure. He shot a crowd Wednesday in Lexington, SC, with vows to cut government, telling his audience that the nation cannot afford to "four more years of spending without restrictions."

Scale of Dante, President of the University of New Hampshire's Department of political science, said that the focus on financial ties to the Government of Bachmann is a sign that she is taken more seriously. But he doubts that the voters are paying enough attention to where the questions immediately harm its bid.

"It is a small drop," said Scala. "It's the kind of thing that a person in search of opposition campaign rival tuck away in a folder and keep it as long as it's useful".

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Associated Press writer Meg Kinnard helped from Lexington, SC

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