An unexpected donor has raised eyebrows in a hotly contested Senate race, challenging the integrity of campaign finance practices.
Breitbart News reported that Montana Senator Jon Tester's campaign has accepted donations from a deceased individual, according to Federal Election Commission (FEC) filings.
The donations in question came from Barbara McGowan, whose occupation on the FEC report is listed as "Deceased As Of July 17." This peculiar detail has drawn attention to the processes involved in verifying and accepting campaign contributions.
FEC records show that Senator Tester's campaign received two separate $50 donations from McGowan. The first donation is recorded as having been made on July 17, 2024, which coincides with the date of McGowan's passing. More surprisingly, a second donation is listed with a date of September 20, 2024, more than two months after her reported death.
These posthumous contributions have led to scrutiny of the campaign's donation vetting procedures. The incident also raises broader questions about the potential for exploitation of campaign finance systems.
McGowan's obituary describes her as a "force of nature" who was born on August 11, 1940, and passed away on July 17, 2024. She had moved to Bozeman, Montana, in 2007 to be closer to her family.
The revelation of these unusual donations has prompted responses from political opponents. Mike Berg, communications director for the National Republican Senatorial Committee, issued a statement addressing the situation:
In recent days, ActBlue has been accused of stealing identities to funnel money to Democrats. Now, they are funneling donations from dead people to Jon Tester. Something very shady is going on here.
This accusation implicates ActBlue, a nonprofit technology organization that provides fundraising software to Democratic candidates and organizations. The statement suggests a pattern of questionable fundraising practices, though it's important to note that these claims have not been independently verified.
The controversy surrounding these donations comes at a crucial time for Senator Tester, who is currently engaged in a competitive race for re-election. His Republican opponent, Tim Sheehy, has been showing strong performance in recent polls.
Two separate surveys have indicated that Sheehy may be leading in the race. A New York Times/Siena Research Poll found Sheehy with 52 percent support compared to Tester's 44 percent. Similarly, a Public Opinion Strategies survey showed Sheehy leading Tester by 51 percent to 45 percent.
These poll results, combined with the controversy over the unusual donations, could potentially impact the dynamics of the race as it moves forward.
The incident has raised concerns about the enforcement of campaign finance regulations, questioning the current system's ability to prevent fraudulent donations. The FEC may now face more pressure to improve its oversight. This could lead to a review and potential strengthening of its mechanisms.
The peculiar case of posthumous donations to Senator Tester's campaign has brought several issues to the forefront. It has raised questions about the integrity of campaign finance systems, sparked political accusations, and potentially impacted a closely watched Senate race. The incident underscores the need for rigorous oversight in political fundraising and may lead to calls for reform in how campaigns verify and report their donations.
