A bipartisan ethics panel in Wisconsin has recommended felony charges against one of Donald Trump’s fundraising arms in relation to an alleged scheme that it says was meant to circumvent campaign finance laws to take out a powerful GOP lawmaker who has turned against Trump.
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The prosecution referrals became public Friday and add to the legal troubles of the former president, who is already facing 91 charges in four cases in other jurisdictions.
The Wisconsin Ethics Commission this week found probable cause that Trump’s Save America committee and several state and local Republican officials committed felonies and recommended several district attorneys investigate and prosecute them, according to records released Friday.
The commission’s investigation centers on the 2022 primary race between Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, one of the most powerful Republicans in Wisconsin, and Adam Steen, a political newcomer who embraced Trump.
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Individuals and most political entities can give a maximum of $1,000 each to candidates for the Wisconsin Assembly under state law, but arms of political parties can give them unlimited amounts. The commission alleges Steen, Steen’s campaign and three county Republican parties arranged to sidestep campaign finance laws by having donors give money to one of the county parties, which would then steer it to Steen’s campaign or his vendors, according to the records released Friday.
Save America donated $15,000 to the county parties in August 2022 — $5,000 each to the Republican parties of Chippewa, Florence and Langlade counties. They are the only donations Save America made to county parties in 2021 and 2022, campaign finance records show.
Neither the Trump campaign nor Steen immediately responded to requests for comment. The website WisPolitics first reported on the referrals.
Vos has had a tumultuous relationship with Trump for years, especially since the former president baselessly alleged the 2020 election in Wisconsin was rigged against him.
Hoping to appease Trump and his supporters, Vos hired a former state Supreme Court justice to conduct a review of the election, which centered on conspiracy theories and false claims that the legislature could revoke the state’s electoral votes for Joe Biden.
Trump claimed Vos did not pursue the investigation with enough vigor and endorsed Steen as he made his out-of-nowhere primary challenge to Vos in 2022. Vos narrowly won that primary, and now Steen’s allies are gathering signatures in hopes of holding a recall election of Vos.
The ethics commission made its referral against Save America and its agents, but did not identify anyone with Save America by name. It alleged those involved in the efforts committed felonies that can result in penalties of up to 3½ years in prison and fines of $10,000. Additional penalties could be in play if prosecutors pursue conspiracy charges.
The ethics commission consists of three Republicans and three Democrats. It referred charges to Republican prosecutors in five counties because Wisconsin law requires campaign finance cases to be prosecuted where the alleged perpetrator lives if they are a state resident. For out-of-state residents and entities, such as Save America, the alleged violations are prosecuted where they occurred.
If the district attorneys do not act within 60 days, the commission has the authority to refer its request for prosecution to Attorney General Josh Kaul (D). Under state law, the commission must conduct most of its work in secret. It is rare for it to pursue serious charges.
Patricia Hanson, the district attorney in Racine County, said she would make a decision quickly on the referral the commission made against Steen’s campaign. Sue Opper, the district attorney in Waukesha County, said she needed more information from the ethics commission before she could determine how she would proceed. Other prosecutors did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Cut through the 2024 election noise. Get The Campaign Moment newsletter.
The prosecution referrals became public Friday and add to the legal troubles of the former president, who is already facing 91 charges in four cases in other jurisdictions.
The Wisconsin Ethics Commission this week found probable cause that Trump’s Save America committee and several state and local Republican officials committed felonies and recommended several district attorneys investigate and prosecute them, according to records released Friday.
The commission’s investigation centers on the 2022 primary race between Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, one of the most powerful Republicans in Wisconsin, and Adam Steen, a political newcomer who embraced Trump.
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Individuals and most political entities can give a maximum of $1,000 each to candidates for the Wisconsin Assembly under state law, but arms of political parties can give them unlimited amounts. The commission alleges Steen, Steen’s campaign and three county Republican parties arranged to sidestep campaign finance laws by having donors give money to one of the county parties, which would then steer it to Steen’s campaign or his vendors, according to the records released Friday.
Save America donated $15,000 to the county parties in August 2022 — $5,000 each to the Republican parties of Chippewa, Florence and Langlade counties. They are the only donations Save America made to county parties in 2021 and 2022, campaign finance records show.
Neither the Trump campaign nor Steen immediately responded to requests for comment. The website WisPolitics first reported on the referrals.
Vos has had a tumultuous relationship with Trump for years, especially since the former president baselessly alleged the 2020 election in Wisconsin was rigged against him.
Hoping to appease Trump and his supporters, Vos hired a former state Supreme Court justice to conduct a review of the election, which centered on conspiracy theories and false claims that the legislature could revoke the state’s electoral votes for Joe Biden.
Trump claimed Vos did not pursue the investigation with enough vigor and endorsed Steen as he made his out-of-nowhere primary challenge to Vos in 2022. Vos narrowly won that primary, and now Steen’s allies are gathering signatures in hopes of holding a recall election of Vos.
The ethics commission made its referral against Save America and its agents, but did not identify anyone with Save America by name. It alleged those involved in the efforts committed felonies that can result in penalties of up to 3½ years in prison and fines of $10,000. Additional penalties could be in play if prosecutors pursue conspiracy charges.
The ethics commission consists of three Republicans and three Democrats. It referred charges to Republican prosecutors in five counties because Wisconsin law requires campaign finance cases to be prosecuted where the alleged perpetrator lives if they are a state resident. For out-of-state residents and entities, such as Save America, the alleged violations are prosecuted where they occurred.
If the district attorneys do not act within 60 days, the commission has the authority to refer its request for prosecution to Attorney General Josh Kaul (D). Under state law, the commission must conduct most of its work in secret. It is rare for it to pursue serious charges.
Patricia Hanson, the district attorney in Racine County, said she would make a decision quickly on the referral the commission made against Steen’s campaign. Sue Opper, the district attorney in Waukesha County, said she needed more information from the ethics commission before she could determine how she would proceed. Other prosecutors did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
