Staff Reports
Due to worries about foreign influence in US elections, conservative politicians and watchdog groups are closely examining Swiss billionaire Hansjörg Wyss, who is well-known for supporting causes on the left. The House Administration Committee, which is run by the Republicans, is scheduled to hold a hearing on Wyss and the possible openings that permit foreigners to influence elections.
https://twitter.com/honestelections/status/1791103775815446897
Republicans are becoming alarmed over foreign nationals like Wyss using "dark money" to fund political messaging, get-out-the-vote campaigns, and state ballot initiatives. Wyss was found to have made illegal political contributions between 1990 and 2006 by the Federal Election Commission. But because of the statute of limitations, which conservatives have criticized, nothing was done.
The conservative watchdog group Americans for Public Trust has brought attention to the fact that Wyss's organizations used a convoluted fiscal sponsorship structure to transfer millions of dollars to left-wing organizations, casting doubt on the openness of their financial contributions. Concerns have also been expressed over the Wyss Foundation and Berger Action Fund's apparent circumvention of campaign finance laws in order to promote Democratic-aligned organizations.
Conservative and Republican activists have pushed for increased accountability and openness in the political fundraising process, as well as the closure of these loopholes related to foreign influence. They contend that foreigners shouldn't be able to finance political campaigns in the United States and that elections in the country should only be attended by citizens.
Even while the Wyss Foundation and Berger Action Fund refute any illegal conduct, conservative critics are nevertheless worried about the large amounts of money that left-wing organizations receive. They are advocating for legislative actions to address the problem of "dark money" in elections, such as the DISCLOSE Act, which was put out by Democrats.
Legislators are also thinking about passing legislation to stop foreign money from supporting ballot issues since states like Ohio are struggling with the infusion of foreign money into their political systems. Conservatives are calling for more protections against foreign meddling in US elections.
