Fox’s first – A bipartisan ethics watchdog group has formally filed a complaint against House Democrats seeking re-election, asking the Federal Election Commission (FEC) to collect potentially “illegal” claims from a controversial marijuana dispensary chain. ” demanded an investigation into the donations.
The Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust (FACT) announced Monday that Rep. Andrea Salinas’ (D-Ore.) 2022 campaign and her joint fundraising committee are each the second-largest cannabis dispensary in Oregon. filed a complaint alleging that it received donations from La Mota. , “appears to be an unlawfully prohibited post,” or “improperly disclosed post.”
However, a source familiar with the deal pushed back on the accusations, saying there was actually only one donation and that it was “improperly reported” due to a “data entry error” and that only one donation was ultimately made. He told News Digital. After negative press reports about La Mota began to surface, it was established as a fully nonprofit organization.
According to the complaint, Salinas’ campaign committee, Andrea Salinas of Oregon, Salinas’ Community Chest Committee, and the Salinas Victory Fund all agreed to participate in the campaign in August 2022 in advance of the November general election. Mr. Mota reported a $1,000 donation. It also does not include persons within limited liability companies (LLCs) that have contribution liability as required by federal law.
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Representative Andrea Salinas speaks during a press conference with House Minority Whip Katherine Clarks and Freshman Women of the 118th Congress during the House Democratic 2023 Issues Conference on Thursday, March 2, 2023, in Baltimore, Maryland. Congressman (Democrat of Oregon). (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc, via Getty Images)
However, a person familiar with the transaction told Fox News Digital that there was actually only one $1,000 donation, not two, and that it was donated to the Salinas Victory Fund and that the Salinas Victory Fund was given to the campaign on the same day. He said it was transferred to. A typical flow of campaign funds donated to a community chest committee.
Regarding the identity of the investors, the complaint notes that LLCs can be treated as corporations and therefore prohibited from making contributions, or treated as partnerships that can make contributions. as long as the contribution is attributed are provided to “partners” and are subject to federal individual contribution limits.
“An LLC is treated as a corporation if it publicly trades its stock or elects to report as a corporation under Internal Revenue Service (IRS) rules and is generally prohibited from making political contributions.” ,” the complaint states. “An LLC is treated as a partnership if it elects to file as a partnership under IRS rules or if it does not elect to be a corporation or a partnership.”
Additionally, he added that LLCs are required to notify recipients on FEC filings that they are eligible to make donations and who the donations are from within the LLC, but Salinas’ organization・No notification was given in the case of Mota.
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“There is no evidence that the Salinas Campaign Committee and her joint fundraising committee received illegal contributions from the LLC or falsely reported funds from ‘La Mota’ in their own FEC filings. “The evidence clearly does not inform the public about the true source of the funding: funding,” FACT Executive Director Kendra Arnold said in a statement.
“What makes this case even more troubling is that the alleged contributors have been involved in major political scandals and numerous legal issues, which the campaign clearly would not want to engage with publicly. “We urge the FEC to investigate and impose appropriate penalties to deter future violations,” she added.
Arnold’s reference to La Mota’s past “scandals” and “problems” was in reference to multiple civil lawsuits, federal investigations and federal tax liens the company has faced, including includes a controversy involving former Oregon Secretary of State Shemir Fagan, a Democrat who resigned last year. The year after it was discovered that she was working as a consultant for La Mota, it was discovered that she was working as a consultant for La Mota at a time when her firm was conducting an audit of the cannabis industry. did.
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Rep. Andrea Salinas (D-Ore.) is facing charges from a bipartisan watchdog group over potentially “illegal” campaign contributions from a marijuana dispensary chain. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert, File)
The person who alleged the charges told Fox News Digital that the transaction took place eight months before negative reports about La Mota came to light, and that once it came to light, $1,000 was transferred to Marion Polk of Salem, Oregon.・He said the money was donated to Food Share. This is because the Salinas Victory Fund had already been approved for termination by the FEC in early 2023, and contributions could not be returned. Fox News Digital confirmed the donation to the nonprofit organization.
FOX News Digital has reached out to Salinas’ campaign for comment.
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Salinas was first elected in 2022 and is running for re-election in Oregon’s 6th Congressional District. Currently, no one is challenging her in the Democratic primary.
Election analysts rate the race as either “few” or “likely” to have Democratic support.
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