Senator Max Baucus gave girlfriend $14,000 raise

Baucus, a Democrat who chairs the Finance Committee, recommended the woman, Melodee Hanes, for Montana's U.S. attorney post in February, by which time she was his girlfriend. He has called the former state prosecutor "highly qualified."

Baucus revealed the romantic relationship with Hanes last week after a Web site reported the circumstances of Hanes' nomination. Baucus said he sent three names, unranked, to the White House for consideration.

The senator, who turned 68 on Friday, has said he began dating Hanes in the summer of 2008 after they were both separated from their spouses and Hanes worked for him.

The two now live together.