NC Attorney General calls for investigation into US postmaster for alleged campaign contribution fraud
North Carolina's Attorney General is calling for an investigation into current US postmaster Louis DeJoy, for allegations that he, as a major GOP fundraiser, pressured employees into making political donations to GOP candidates -- then later reimbursed them through bonuses.
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Those employees told the Washington Post that he later reimbursed them through bonuses.
In a tweet today Attorney General Josh Stein said, "It is against the law to directly or indirectly reimburse someone for a political contribution. Any credible allegations of such actions merit investigation by the appropriate state and federal authorities."
DeJoy alleged to have illegally reimbursed employees for campaign contributions
On Sunday, the Washington Post published a story alleging that US Postmaster Louis DeJoy had previously reimbursed private-sector employees for making political contributions. DeJoy is a longtime Republican megadonor and fundraiser, and led efforts to raise money for the 2020 Republican National Convention.
Reimbursing employees for political contributions is illegal under both federal and North Carolina law.
Common Cause and other groups filed a lawsuit against DeJoy less than three weeks ago, alleging that actions undercutting the delivery of mail violate the constitutional right to vote, because of the burden they place on voters choosing to vote by absentee ballot.
Karen Hobert Flynn, President of Common Cause, said, "It’s illegal for any person to reimburse another person for political contributions. Such 'straw donor' schemes demonstrate contempt for our nation's campaign finance laws, subverting contribution limits, donor intent and transparency laws, among others. By disguising the true source of campaign funding, straw donor schemes perpetrate a fraud on the voting public."
Common Cause is exploring the possibility of filing legal complaints to hold DeJoy accountable for these alleged campaign finance violations.
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