Jason Snead, Executive Director of Honest Elections Project Action, released the following statement:
“Today, the North Carolina State House took a vital first step to stop foreign interference in the state by advancing out of committee a ban on foreign funding of ballot issue campaigns. This comes after the Sixteen Thirty Fund, a foreign-funded dark money group, funneled $3.5 million in foreign-tied contributions into North Carolina. Honest Elections Project Action looks forward to the House further strengthening this measure to fully protect North Carolina’s constitution from foreign meddling.”
Background
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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, including $3.5 million in North Carolina.
- 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.
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Nine states have enacted legislation to ban the direct and indirect funding of ballot issue campaigns by foreign nationals.
- This week, Honest Elections Project Action rolled out a targeted digital ad campaign and a mobile billboard at the North Carolina State Capitol urging the North Carolina legislature to pass H958.