Healey illegally used his yacht company resources to promote his campaign, violating in-kind and “soft money” laws
End Citizens United (ECU) filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) against Bob Healey Jr., candidate for New Jersey’s 3rd Congressional District. The complaint states that Healey violated election law by directing and using the resources of Viking Yachts to benefit his congressional candidacy. Healey is the heir and Executive Co-Chair of the family company.
“Bob Healey’s corruption knows no bounds. After he loaned his campaign over $1.25 million, and his mother spent $2 million trying to buy him a seat in Congress, he illegally used Viking Yachts’ platform, where he is the Executive Co-Chair, to promote his campaign. Federal law specifically prohibits this type of scheme because it’s ripe for corruption and impropriety,” said End Citizens United President Tiffany Muller. “Healey hasn’t drawn a line between his campaign and his family’s yacht company because he views them as one in the same. He openly says he wants to go to Congress to fight against taxes on luxury items like yachts. The FEC must investigate this corrupt scheme and hold Bob Healey accountable.”
The violation:
-
Soon after the June 2022 primary, Bob Healey’s family’s company, Viking Yachts, prominently displayed an image of Healey alongside his campaign committee’s name on the company’s website, and congratulated him on winning the Republican nomination.
-
Viking Yachts included a campaign-style message that is strikingly similar to a message on Healey’s campaign website, which touts his reasons for running and ends with “Onward to November!”.
-
Healey also appears to have used the Viking Yachts’ manufacturing facility for an advertisement. However, he has not reported any payments to Viking Yachts to cover this cost, a potential soft money violation.
-
The shirt Healey is wearing in the ad is identical to the one Healey wears in the image posted on Viking Yachts’ webpage and on the campaign’s Facebook page, further blurring what should be a clear line separating his role as a federal candidate and Chairman of his company.
-
The Federal Election Campaign Act prohibits candidates from soliciting, receiving, directing, transferring, or spending “soft money” – funds outside of the federal contribution limits and source restrictions — in connection with an election.
-
Federal law also prohibits corporations from making contributions to federal candidates and candidates from knowingly accepting corporate contributions. A campaign may not accept or use corporate resources or assets without paying fair market value for the use.
Click here to read the FEC complaint.
###