Today, Honest Elections Project Action launched an additional five-figure digital ad campaign to encourage the Texas House of Representatives to pass SB 2035, legislation to ban the foreign funding of ballot issue campaigns, which advanced through the Senate last week. The campaign includes targeted digital advertising and a mobile billboard that can be seen around the Capitol. Phase one of the campaign encouraged Texas Senators to pass SB 2035, as well as legislation to ban ranked-choice voting.
Jason Snead, Executive Director of Honest Elections Project Action, released the following statement:
“Texans deserves elections that are free from foreign influence. Unfortunately, current federal and state law does not prohibit foreign nationals from contributing to state ballot issue campaigns, leaving Texas’s elections vulnerable.
“The good news is, the Senate has advanced SB 2035 to the House, which will close the foreign influence loophole if it becomes law. It’s time for the Texas House of Representatives to finish the job by passing SB 2035 and sending it to Governor Abbott’s desk.”
Foreign Funding Background
Swiss billionaire Hansjörg Wyss has pumped more than $280 million into the liberal Sixteen Thirty Fund, which has in turn poured $130 million into ballot issue campaigns across the country. That includes $100,000 to Equity PAC, the main committee behind No Way on Prop A – a campaign that opposed a ballot issue that would have increased the police force in Austin. Proposition A was ultimately defeated.
Although foreign nationals are barred from contributing to candidates and PACs, a loophole exists in federal law that allows foreigners to contribute to ballot issue campaigns. Six states have enacted legislation to ban the direct and indirect funding of ballot issue campaigns by foreign nationals.
The Texas House State Affairs Committee advanced SB 2035 on May 15, and the measure is awaiting a floor vote.
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