Non-US Citizens Funnel Money into Sanders Campaign

The principal campaign committee fund-raising for Bernie Sanders is accepting donations from non-U.S. citizens, which is prohibited under federal law. Bernie 2016 was accepting these donations as far back as 2015 and as late as January 2016.

As a result, hundreds of Foreign Nationals must have their prohibited contributions to the Bernie Sanders’ campaign returned.

A week ago, the Treasurer of Bernie 2016, the principal campaign committee for Bernie Sanders, responded to a Federal Elections Commission review of its 2015 Year End report. Susan Jackson, the official handling the finances, was obligated under federal law to answer this Request for Additional Information (RFAI).

The Commission had combed through the reports filed by the committee for 2015 and found 43 pages of potential violations. These issues included everything from failed disclosure to faulty accounting to excessive donations and prohibited contributions by Foreign Nationals.

Jackson’s reply to the FEC admitted that 106 contributors could not be verified as U.S. Citizens or legal residents and that their donations would be refunded (See full list below). The names of these donors was listed; but the exact amount of their donations was not revealed.

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View the official 43-page FEC Request For Additional Information, dated 11 February 2016.

For more details on Jackson’s response, see Bernie 2016 Returns 200+ Donations to Remedy Campaign Finance Issues from 2015

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However, this was just the first round of problems for the campaign committee. When Bernie 2016 filed its report for the month of January, still more donations were flagged.

On 25 February, the FEC sent an RFAI covering January 2016. Once again, impermissible donations from people with addresses outside the U.S. were found. Again, the Treasurer for Sanders’ campaign fund-raiser was reminded of federal laws:

Schedule A-P (see attached) discloses a contribution(s) from an individual(s) who has a mailing address outside of the United States of America. Please be advised that 52 U.S.C. § 30121(a) (formerly 2 U.S.C. § 441e(a)) and 11 CFR § 110.20 prohibit foreign nationals from making contributions in connection with any election for political office or in connection with any primary election, convention, or caucus held to select candidates for any political office.

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View the RFAI covering January 2016, including a list of “Contributions from Individuals with Foreign Addresses”.

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The FEC ordered Jackson to comply with these laws by 31 March:

If you have received a contribution from a foreign national, you must refund the impermissible contribution to the donor in accordance with 11CFR § 103.3(b). Please inform the Commission of your corrective action immediately in writing and provide a photocopy of your check for the refund. (25 February 2016 RFAI)

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On 25 March, Bernie 2016 filed an amended report to the FEC, showing refunds to individuals totaling $684,455.53. The amended report covers several months in 2015. It’s not clear whether the refunds were for excessive contributions or prohibited donations by Foreign Nationals or something else.

Bernie 2016 has yet to report its campaign finance disclosure for February.

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SUSAN JACKSON’S RESPONSE TO THE RFAI of 11 FEBRUARY 2016

The Committee did not receive confirmation of citizenship or residence status and therefore issued refunds earlier this month to the following donors. These refunds will be reflected in the Committee’s April Monthly Report.

1. Aaron Atkins
2. Aaron Windel
3. Abigail Yue Wang
4. Alaa Ujayli
5. Alan Groves
6. Aleksander Waage
7. Alisaun Fukugaki
8. Anallee Pepper
9. Anders Ecklof
10. Anthony Curwen
11. Bradley Goodman
12. Brooke Lhernould
13. Bruce Stores
14. Charles Grinstead
15. Charles Newman
16. Cheryl Mathieu
17. Christopher Kraybill
18. Clive Moon
19. Craig Higgins
20. Dale Dreckman
21. Daniel Boyd
22. Daniel Coffey
23. Darla Nordstrom
24. David Borgendale
25. David Peacock
26. David Thompson
27. Deaglan McManus
28. Donald Ferrin
29. Donnette Thayer
30. Dorothy Dufour
31. Douglas Kent
32. Erik Hardeng
33. Frederick Woolworth
34. Gary Cornelius
35. Gary Gebhardt
36. Grant Lovering
37. Harry Bingham
38. Imre Bidtnes
39. J Doherty
40. Jane Piper
41. Janis Kenyon
42. Jay Van de Wint
43. Jedediah Sklower
44. Jerimy Abner
45. John Graves
46. John McCreery
47. John Painter
48. Jonathan Sachs
49. Jonathan Schlaff
50. Karl Ehrlich
51. Karl Kaufman
52. Kelly Morrissey
53. Kim McQuaite
54. Kylie Gutry
55. Larry Tabick
56. Laurent Normand
57. Laurie Bloom
58. Leslie Bellas
59. Linn Peterson
60. Malinda Crispin
61. Margaret Kelly
62. Mark Collins
63. Mark Harrick
64. Mark Hodge
65. Mark Tipperman
66. Markus Buechting
67. Mary De Lyrot
68. Michael Hitzhusen
69. Michael Sever
70. Mike Mills
71. Miya Tokumitsu
72. Nicholas Reckert
73. Niki Korda
74. Ossie Sharon
75. Pamela Price
76. Paula Chavez
77. Peter Claghorn
78. Pymma Zatyz Handayani
79. Randal Richins
80. Raquel Luzi Steiner
81. Robert Costanza
82. Ronald Davis
83. Ronald Phillips
84. Ross Dunne
85. Russell Westbrook
86. Rustyn Mesdag
87. Sam Wise
88. Sean Gentry
89. Sophie Siebert
90. Stephanie Miller
91. Stephen Stapleton
92. Susan Bloom
93. Susan Savage
94. Susan Swift
95. Susan Woudenberg
96. Tahir Sharif
97. Terence Kim
98. Terrance Wapshall
99. Thomas McNamara
100. Thomas Shuler
101. Tracy Wyman
102. Victor Policheri
103. Walter Hedrick
104. William Clay
105. William Sherlock
106. Woodruff Benson

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