Tag: campaign finance

South Florida Congresswoman Charged with Stealing $5 Million in FEMA Funds and Making Illegal Campaign Contributions

A federal grand jury in Miami has returned an indictment charging Congresswoman Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick and several co-defendants with stealing federal disaster funds, laundering the proceeds, and using the money to support her 2021 congressional campaign.

According to the indictment, Cherfilus-McCormick, 46, and her brother Edwin Cherfilus, 51, both of Miramar, worked through their family health-care company on a FEMA-funded COVID-19 vaccination staffing contract in 2021. In July 2021, the company received an overpayment of $5 million in FEMA funds.

The indictment alleges that the defendants conspired to steal that $5 million and routed it through multiple accounts to disguise its source. Prosecutors allege that a substantial portion of the misappropriated funds was used as candidate contributions to Cherfilus-McCormick’s 2021 congressional campaign and for the personal benefit of the defendants.

The indictment further alleges that Cherfilus-McCormick and Nadege Leblanc, 46, of Miramar, arranged additional contributions using straw donors, funneling other monies from the FEMA-funded Covid-19 contract to friends and relatives who then donated to the campaign as if using their own money.

The indictment also charges Cherfilus-McCormick and her 2021 tax preparer David K. Spencer, 41, of Davie, with conspiring to file a false federal tax return. According to the indictment, they falsely claimed political spending and other personal expenses as business deductions and inflated charitable contributions in order to reduce her tax obligations.

“Using disaster relief funds for self-enrichment is a particularly selfish, cynical crime,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “No one is above the law, least of all powerful people who rob taxpayers for personal gain. We will follow the facts in this case and deliver justice.”

U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida stated, “Today’s indictment shows no one is above the law. This indictment reflects our Office’s commitment to follow the facts, apply the law, and protect the American taxpayer. Public money belongs to the American people. When FEMA funds are diverted for personal or political gain, it erodes trust and harms us all. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to ensure that American taxpayer dollars are used as intended and that the public’s trust is safeguarded.”

If convicted, Cherfilus-McCormick faces up to 53 years in prison. Edwin Cherfilus faces up to 35 years, Leblanc up to 10 years, and Spencer up to 33 years.
U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones; Special Agent in Charge Brett D. Skiles of the FBI, Miami Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Ronald A. Loecker of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Florida Field Office, made the announcement.

FBI Miami and the IRS-CI Florida Field Office are investigating the case.

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Another Crockett Scandal: Democrat Blew Almost $75,000 of Campaign Money on High Living

Fox News has revealed that, in the second major money scandal involving far-left Democrat Jasmine Crockett, the foul-mouthed congresswoman blew almost $75,000 on high living.

The leftist from Texas spent the campaign funds doing the town in such places as Chicago, New York City, and Martha’s Vineyard, the home and vacation destination of the far-left, hate-Trump Democratic elite.

The wasted money isn’t a good look for Crockett. Last month she was accused of shenanigans with required disclosures of her massive stock portfolio.

Not that she cares, as her chronic outrageous behavior shows.

Cui Bono?

Though Crockett represents Texas’ 30th District, which includes big city Dallas, the kooky congresswoman flitted about not only high-flying Martha’s Vineyard, but also Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and other big cities.

“Crockett’s filings show her campaign spending $25,748.87 since January on high-end hotels and limousine services,” Fox reported:

The hotel expenses include $4,175.01 at the Ritz-Carlton and $2,304.79 at The Luxury Collection. Other hotel expenses include $5,326.52 to the West Hollywood Edition in Los Angeles, $1,173.92 to the Times Square Edition in New York City, over $2,000 to the Cosmopolitan and Aria resort in Las Vegas and $2,703.14 to the Edgartown Inn and $3,160.93 at The Coco, both in Martha’s Vineyard.

Prices for a room at the Ritz-Carlton vary, and can reach more than $2,000 per night depending on location. But the five-star West Hollywood Edition charges $687 per night for a standard room with a king bed, Kayak says.

As for other expenses, Crocket threw away $6,292.30 on limousine services. One of those services was Chicago’s Transportation 4 U.

Reported Fox:

In its client gallery on Yelp, Transportation 4 U, which says it specializes in providing “top-tier limousine experiences tailored to your needs,” posted a picture of Crockett with the caption: “We were honored to provide transportation services for Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett during her visit to Chicago.” Crockett is pictured smiling and dressed casually in a red sweater.

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Surprise! Half of Communist Zohran Mamdani’s Campaign Donations Come from Outside New York City

Zohran Mamdani, the Democrat Socialist frontrunner in New York City’s mayoral race, has built his campaign around promises of rent freezes, free bus service, and a city-run grocery system. 

But while his platform is marketed as a local, working-class agenda, new filings reveal that a majority of his campaign money is coming from far beyond the five boroughs.

According to the latest campaign-finance records, Mamdani raised about $1.05 million in just five weeks.

Of that total, more than $532,000—or 53%—came from donors outside New York City. 

This means nearly half of the funding fueling his campaign is coming from individuals who will never vote in the mayoral election.

That figure is unprecedented in a city where campaigns are traditionally funded by residents directly affected by local policies. 

In fact, an analysis by City Limits found that Mamdani has taken in more out-of-state contributions than his two main rivals combined. 

His donor base stretches nationwide, pulling in checks from activists and progressive organizations across the country who see Mamdani as a national figure rather than a local candidate.

For Mamdani’s supporters, the outside contributions prove the strength of his grassroots network. 

His campaign points out that the average donation size remains relatively small, suggesting he has tapped into the same progressive donor pipeline that powered Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. 

They argue this fundraising model frees him from dependence on Wall Street or real estate donors that dominate city politics.

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Tim Walz Donor and Former Minneapolis Chamber CEO INDICTED on Five Counts of Bank and Wire Fraud — Accused of Embezzling $200K and Stealing $30K Reward Money for Unsolved Child Murder Cases

Former Minneapolis Regional Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Jonathan Weinhagen, a frequent donor to Democrat Governor Tim Walz, has been indicted on five federal counts of bank and wire fraud for allegedly embezzling more than $200,000 from the chamber and stealing $30,000 meant to help solve child murder cases.

According to federal prosecutors, Weinhagen carried out a six-year scheme between December 2019 and June 2024, using fake companies, fraudulent contracts, and even a phony obituary to cover his tracks.

According to FOX 9, Weinhagen ran an elaborate fraud operation from December 2019 through June 2024, when he abruptly left his position at the Chamber. Prosecutors allege that Weinhagen created a fake consulting company called Synergy Partners and used an alias, James Sullivan, to funnel money to himself.

He also allegedly:

  • Opened a $125,000 line of credit in the chamber’s name and funneled the money into his fake company.
  • Faked the death of his alias, publishing an obituary for “James Sullivan” when the chamber began asking questions.
  • Diverted $30,000 in reward money that had been donated to Crime Stoppers of Minnesota to help solve the shooting deaths of three children in 2021 — crimes that remain unsolved.
  • Tried to fraudulently obtain a $54,661 loan from SoFi Bank by claiming he worked for a restaurant group and earned $425,000 annually — both lies.

Federal prosecutors say the total embezzled amount exceeds $200,000.

Weinhagen also stole a total of $30,000 in reward money that had been earmarked to help find suspects.

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Anti-Capitalism Progs Are Raking in the Money on the Dem Side

While I can’t speak to what goes on in other countries, I do know that there are a lot of people in the United States who hate capitalism yet somehow seem to be swimming in money. Most of Academia fits that description. Heck, a good portion of the kajillionaires in the entertainment industry kvetch about capitalism while taking quick trips to the French Riviera after they’ve had a bad weekend. 

As we are all painfully aware, the Democrats are finally openly embracing the socialism that they’ve had incubating in their dark little hearts for a long time. The ascendant progressive Left is decidedly anti-capitalism, loudly railing against the evil rich whenever they can. They’re also killing it when it comes to the money that’s flowing into the Democratic Party these days. 

We’ve read a lot lately about fundraising struggles among the Dems, but they’re not all struggling. This is from Rick:

“The Democratic National Committee has raised $99 million so far this year, not even close to the hundreds of millions of dollars it has been accustomed to raising in recent years,” writes The Free Press’s Gabe Kaminsky. 

It’s not just the DNC that’s being shunned. Democratic Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, the second-ranking Democrat in government, raised just $134,000 during the same reporting period.

Meanwhile, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) raised $4.4 million between July 1 and Sept. 30. According to the most recent Federal Election Commission (FEC) filings, her cash on hand now totals $11.8 million. That cash is going to come in handy when she challenges Schumer for his Senate seat in 2026.

That would be the same Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez who’s been out traipsing about the country with commie Bernie Sanders on the “Fight Oligarchy” tour. It would appear that Squeaky won. 

Rick reports that other progs are raking it in as well, including Jasmine “F-Bomb” Crockett, the country day academy-educated chick who’s totally down with the struggle. The radical “We Hate the Rich” kids over in Dem Land seem to know an awful lot of rich people. AOC didn’t amass an almost $12 million war chest by getting three-dollar donations from constituents in her Congressional district.

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Democratic National Committee STILL Struggling to Pay Off Kamala Harris Campaign Debt Nearly a Year Later

The Democratic National Committee (DNC) is still struggling to repay Kamala Harris’s campaign debt almost a year after the 2024 election.

The amazing thing about this, is that it’s a reminder that Harris had a campaign war chest of more than a billion dollars, a massive sum for a political campaign, and yet she still lost and she still incurred millions of dollars in campaign debt.

It really is a testament to what an absolutely awful candidate she was and still is. If she runs again in 2028, she will probably be torpedoed by Democrat voters during the primary.

The New York Post has the story on her 2024 campaign debt:

DNC pays off $1.6M in debt for Kamala Harris’ failed campaign as Dems face tight race in New Jersey

The Democratic National Committee (DNC) is still paying off shortfalls incurred by former Vice President Kamala Harris’ failed 2024 election campaign — with at least $1.6 million paid out in September alone, according to the latest federal filings.

The Harris campaign shelled out $1.49 million alone for media production and consulting, $106,312 for data services and $21,762 to rent space at a Grand Rapids, Mich. community center for an October 2024 event alongside billionaire investor Mark Cuban touting the Democratic nominee as the “pro-business candidate.”

Last month’s payouts push the total debt covered since Election Day to more than $20 million, according to Axios, which first reported on the Federal Election Commission (FEC) filings.

Former President Barack Obama’s successful 2012 campaign incurred a similar level of debt that the DNC three years to fully pay off, with former chairwoman Donna Brazile claiming the 44th commander-in-chief’s “neglect had left the party in significant debt.”

Harris made a “handshake deal” with the national party after Donald Trump defeated her this past November, under which the DNC agreed to cover $20.5 million in outstanding campaign bills, The New York Times reported in August.

It’s amazing that Harris was able to burn through so much cash in such a short period of time. It does not speak well of her, either.

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U.S. Senate Candidate in Nebraska Claims to be an Independent But is Being Bankrolled by Prominent Democrats

Dan Osborn is a candidate for U.S. Senate in the state of Nebraska and he claims to be an independent, yet he is being funded by donations from major Democrats in various parts of the country and is using the far left portal Act Blue.

It looks as though the left is trying to put one over on the American people by disguising a candidate as something that he isn’t and hiding the truth. It’s an incredibly dishonest and cynical move.

Of course, the liberal media is playing right along. Almost every report describes Osborn as an independent.

FOX News reports:

National Dems bankroll campaign of ‘fake independent’ Senate candidate from Midwestern state

Labor Union leader Dan Osborn, a candidate for U.S. Senate in Nebraska, has campaigned on being an “Independent,” going as far as saying he has no plans to caucus with either major party if elected, but his recent FEC filings paint a different picture.

Osborn has not only been endorsed by leaders of the Nebraska Democratic Party and mobilized fundraising on ActBlue, the Democratic Party’s main fundraising platform. He has also accepted donations from several prominent Washington Democrats and Democrat political action committees.

Among the donors to his campaign are the campaign of Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and the PACs of former Democrat senators Bob Kerrey and Jon Tester. Democracy Summer, a leadership PAC founded by Maryland Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin, also donated $2,000.

The latest FEC filings, released last week, also show Osborn continues to accept fundraising support from The People United, a left-wing super PAC that has supported Democrat ‘Squad’ members like Jamaal Bowman, Cori Bush, Summer Lee and Ilhan Omar.

“As an independent, I’ll be uniquely positioned to bring together a majority to get it done,” Osborn’s “Where I Stand” webpage on his campaign website states in reference to securing the border from illegal immigration. “I believe we all have more in common with each other than we do with the partisans who run Washington.”

Back in March, Bernie Sanders recommended this exact strategy. He told progressive candidates that they should run as independents.

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Group Founded By Stacey Abrams Finally Shuts Its Doors After Historic Campaign Finance Violations

The dubious voter rights group founded by political grifter Stacey Abrams is closing its doors after a run of corruption like no other in Georgia history. 

The New Georgia Project, according to its active website, claimed the group is “building long-term power in Georgia every year.” But a statement from the far-left organization released on Thursday announced the power has been turned off for Abrams’ old campaign ATM. 

“After more than a decade of advancing civic engagement, equity, and justice across Georgia, The New Georgia Project (NGP) and The New Georgia Project Action Fund  (NGPAF) will officially dissolve as organizations,” the board of directors wrote in the statement. 

The New Georgia Project and its political action arm certainly advanced the riches of Democrat Abrams, who benefitted immensely from New Georgia’s generous contributions to her failed campaigns for governor. 

‘Illegally Influencing Our Elections’

Earlier this year, the Georgia State Ethics Commission unanimously voted to fine New Georgia a whopping $300,000 after the liberal get-out-the-vote groups admitted raising millions for Abrams’ failed gubernatorial campaign — without registering as an independent political committee. That’s illegal under Georgia campaign finance law. And so is failing to disclose contributions and expenditures. 

As The Federalist reported, the New Georgia Project and its super PAC partner admitted to 16 violations of the law, spending “unregulated and unknown monies” during the 2018 election cycle and on a 2019 failed public transportation referendum campaign. The groups, according to Ethics officials, failed to disclose north of $4.2 million, spending all but about $1 million of that to benefit the far-left candidate’s unsuccessful run for governor and the campaigns of fellow Democrats. 

The New Georgia Project failed to report $646,000 in contributions and $173,000 in expenditures tied to a referendum campaign, according to David Emadi, executive secretary of the Georgia State Ethics Commission. 

It was an unprecedented fine, the largest campaign finance penalty in the history of the Ethics Commission and, apparently nationally. 

“This clearly represents the largest, most significant instance of an organization illegally influencing our elections in Georgia at a statewide level that we’ve ever uncovered,” Emadi said during the commission’s two-hour meeting in January. 

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New Report Uncovers Zohran Mamdani Took $13,000 in Illegal Donations

A new report by the New York Post reveals that left-wing mayoral frontrunner Zohran Mamdani’s campaign quietly accepted nearly $13,000 in potentially illegal foreign donations, including one contribution from his mother-in-law in Dubai.

Records from the New York City Campaign Finance Board show that at least 170 of Mamdani’s nearly 54,000 donations came from individuals listing addresses outside the United States. 

Under federal and state law, only American citizens and permanent legal residents can contribute to political campaigns.

Candidates who accept foreign donations must return them immediately, and those who knowingly retain them may face fines or criminal penalties.

Despite these rules, Mamdani’s campaign has yet to return 88 foreign donations totaling $7,190. 

His team stated that any contributions not compliant with campaign finance law would be refunded, but did not explain why the funds remain unreturned weeks later.

Among the contributors was Mamdani’s mother-in-law, Dr. Bariah Dardari, a pediatrician based in Dubai, who donated $500 to his campaign earlier this year. 

The campaign returned the donation the same day, but the discovery drew attention to how easily foreign-linked money can flow into New York City politics.

Mamdani, a self-described socialist and one of the most prominent members of the Democrat Socialists of America, has raised over $4 million in private donations and received an additional $12.7 million in public matching funds. 

He currently holds about $6.1 million in cash reserves as the city’s election approaches.

Financial disclosures also reveal that a large share of Mamdani’s support base lies outside the United States and even beyond New York City. 

Foreign donors include professionals in countries such as Canada, Germany, and Australia, ranging from software developers to doctors, academics, and investors. 

Contributions varied from small-dollar amounts to the maximum $2,100.

Among the largest donors was Australian environmental scientist James Furlaud, who pledged $2,100 to Mamdani’s campaign. 

Other foreign contributors include a Dubai-based investor, a software engineer in Germany, and a physician in Canada.

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Gavin Newsom Handed $53 Million in State Contracts to His Biggest Donors

California has become a case study in how political connections translate directly into profit. 

For Gov. Gavin Newsom’s wealthiest supporters, campaign contributions appear to double as investments—ones that yield lucrative state contracts, taxpayer-funded benefits, and prestigious appointments.

Since Newsom entered office in 2019, records show that California has steered more than $53 million in state contracts to companies owned or managed by his top donors. 

These contracts have covered everything from wildfire prevention and emergency response to public health services. 

The overlap between political contributions and state spending highlights an entrenched culture where those with financial ties to the governor reap disproportionate rewards.

Donors have also secured massive tax breaks and credits. 

California’s climate initiatives, energy projects, and green subsidy programs have disproportionately benefited firms connected to Newsom’s political backers. 

These arrangements not only raise ethical questions but also distort the competitive landscape, favoring politically connected companies over those competing on merit.

The pattern extends beyond financial contracts. 

Newsom’s allies have gained placement in elite academic circles, including appointments to university boards and advisory positions. 

Such appointments provide not only prestige but also influence over education policy and access to state resources. 

For major donors, the returns extend far beyond dollars and cents—they reach into the very institutions that shape California’s future.

The controversy has grown more prominent as Newsom positions himself on the national stage. 

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