New FEC complaint, shady finances, and the Big Lie
Welcome to another edition of Transplant Turmoil—the weekly series spotlighting the ways Republican carpetbaggers continue to prove themselves as out-of-touch with the state they’re running in.
“At every turn, these wealthy carpetbaggers have made it clear that their first priority is padding their own bottom lines—and the bottom lines of their corporate benefactors,” said End Citizens United Spokesperson Grace Silva. “Their failing strategy of lying on the campaign trail, breaking federal laws, and touting an unpopular MAGA agenda has done nothing to convince voters that they will actually help working families.”
Here’s what the GOP’s out-of-touch candidates have been up to:
#NVSen: Scam Brown Hit With Third FEC Complaint
- This week, Sam Brown was slapped with a third FEC complaint from End Citizens United, alleging he broke federal campaign finance laws by illegally accepting a prohibited contribution from a super PAC. The complaint centers on Brown’s super PAC, Duty First Nevada, posting full length videos on a secret website that the Brown campaign then used for free. The footage in question cost tens of thousands of dollars to produce. This is a blatant violation of federal campaign finance laws. ECU has filed two other outstanding complaints against him: the first on Brown’s illegitimate use of a PAC that was marketed to help elect Republicans but instead used to retire his old campaign debt and then on the illegal coordination between Brown’s 2022 campaign and a super PAC.
#OHSen: Bernie “Michigan-Man” Moreno Lies About Michigan Masters Degree
- Not only did Bernie Moreno attend Ohio’s rival university, but it was revealed that he’s been lying about his credentials. Despite claiming to have an MBA from the University of Michigan—using the degree in his car dealership application and multiple biographies—the university’s Office of Public Affairs confirmed that Moreno actually only holds a bachelor’s degree in business, not an MBA. From refusing to pay his employees properly, and deliberately destroying the documents proving as such, to misleading Ohioans on his education—it’s clear that there’s nothing Moreno won’t lie to voters about.
#WISen: California Bank Owner Eric Hovde Downplays Foreign Government’s Payments to Bank
- During an interview with right-wing podcaster, Eric Hovde asked, “who cares if a foreign government has a deposit in my bank?” following recent reports that his California bank consistently accepted investments from foreign banks and governments dating back to 2017. Considering Hovde refuses to divest from the bank, this would create a direct pipeline for foreign governments to influence him in the Senate if he is elected. This is just the latest in a long, long series of questions and concerns about Hovde’s sketchy finances.
- Once again, Hovde’s campaign ads are using political operatives to pose as everyday Wisconsinites. Heartland Signal exposed two new ads respectively feature the executive director and a board member of the Republican Party of Waukesha County. Their titles are not identified in the ad. The third ad features former Republican candidate for the Wisconsin state Assembly, Samuel Krieg—but the ad doesn’t even mention his name. This is not the first time Hovde has been in hot water for lack of transparency in his campaign ads. In June, Hovde was caught trying to pass off three senior executives from his business as average Wisconsinites—without disclosing their relation to him. Maybe if Hovde actually lived in the state, he wouldn’t have to rely on recruiting his executives or political operatives to show that his campaign has real support.
#MTSen: Wannabe Cowboy Millionaire Tim Sheehy Skips Pentagon Vetting Before Publishing Autobiography
- A report from The Guardian exposed Tim Sheehy for not following proper procedures and vetting before releasing his autobiography, Mudslingers. Since 1949, it’s been a Pentagon requirement that “a prepublication security and policy review” is necessary to ensure that any public release doesn’t contain “classified, controlled unclassified, export-controlled, or operational security related information.” However, Sheehy forgoed this step, choosing profits over proper procedures. This is just the latest in his series of controversies regarding his time in the military, including an explanation for leaving that is “a version of events that does not match his own words on the campaign trail.”
- In a new op-ed, a retired Montana physician slammed Sheehy’s “pure privatization” health care plan, laying out all the ways that the plan would disrupt and harm Montana’s health system. He writes, “Resources yanked from rural hospitals, potentially shuttering them across the state. The end of Medicare. Rolling back price caps on prescription drugs. And overturning the Affordable Care Act, leaving Montanans with pre-existing conditions without crucial protections for their health care.” Voters know they cannot afford the plan and they cannot trust Sheehy with their health.
- Following the newly revealed audio of Sheehy spewing offensive comments and perpetuating racist stereotypes about the Crow Reservation, Crow Tribe Chairman Frank White Clay released a letter calling Sheehy’s remarks “highly unprofessional,” “unacceptable,” “degrading” and “disparaging.” It was also revealed, by the editor for the official news publication of the Flathead Indian Reservation, that despite their multiple attempts to reach out to Sheehy or his campaign, they have not heard anything back. The fact that Sheehy is dodging responsibility and refusing to even offer an apology is disgraceful—and should be disqualifying.
#MISen: Florida-Man Mike Rogers Reups Big Lie
- In a NewsNation interview, Mike Rogers continued to perpetuate the Big Lie, declaring that this election won’t be stolen because “we are going to make this too big to rig.” Though Rogers has previously slammed Donald Trump, this cycle he has chosen to pander to the former president and endorse his lies. In a previous interview, he was unable to answer, point-blank, if he believes President Biden won the 2020 election. Instead, he dodged the question, claiming he’s answered the question “hundreds of times” before quickly attempting to pivot to this year’s election.
#PASen: Connecticut Hedge Fund Millionaire Dave McCormick Admits to Moving Back for Senate Race
- Dave McCormick has finally said the quiet part out loud—he only moved back to Pennsylvania to run for Senate. In a new interview, the Connecticut millionaire revealed that in 2022, he “moved back to Pittsburgh…to run for office.” He also admitted that Senator Bob Casey has been leading in the polls because Pennsylvania “is a place where Bob Casey and his family have lived forever.” It looks like he’s finally starting to realize that he can’t just fly to Pennsylvania and buy himself a Senate seat.
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