Indian-origin Huma Abedin highest paid staffer in US presidential campaign

Washington: White House aspirant Hillary Clinton's longtime associate Huma Abedin, whose father is from India and mother from Pakistan, is the highest paid staffer in the US presidential campaign, taking home an annual salary of more than USD 277,000.

Abedin was paid USD 69,263.09 in the first quarter, according to the latest quarterly financial figures submitted by the Clinton Campaign to Federal Election Commission this week. At this rate, her annual paycheck is pegged at USD 2,77,052.

Interestingly, John Podesta, the chairman of the Clinton campaign received only USD 3,586, while Robby Mook, the campaign manager, got USD 27,625; Jennifer Palmieri, the communications director, received USD 31,710 during the first quarter of the campaign.

Married to former New York congressman Anthony Weiner, Abedin is currently vice chair of the campaign, Hillary for America.

According to Politico, "Abedin is overseeing the campaign operation and serving more often as an independent surrogate for her boss. She's even taking meetings in place of her boss."

"For all intents and purposes, she's number three on the campaign, after (campaign chairman John) Podesta and (campaign manager Robby) Mook," a Clinton campaign aide was quoted as saying.

Abedin has worked for Clinton for the last two decades. Her late father, Syed Zainul Abedin, was a graduate of Aligarh Muslim University and a university lecturer and her mother was a sociology professor.