OUR WINS
Hillary for America & the DNC Fined $113,000
Hillary for America & the DNC Fined $113,000
Issue
In 2018, the Coolidge Reagan Foundation filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) alleging that Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign and the Democratic National Committee violated federal law by misreporting payments tied to the now-debunked Steele Dossier.
What they labeled as “legal advice and services” was really a Democratic machine that conspired with foreigners to manipulate the election—and our team of legal experts knew it. They recognized Clinton and the DNC’s illegal attempt to route campaign money through a law firm to Fusion GPS—the firm behind the discredited dossier on then-candidate Donald Trump.
Compiled from lies, innuendo, and fabrications from foreign nationals, the dossier itself was a vehicle through which current and former agents of the Russian government were able to attempt to undermine Donald Trump’s candidacy.
Action
The Foundation petitioned the FEC to investigate and enforce the law, demanding transparency and accountability in campaign finance. This was one of several actions by the Foundation to ensure political elites play by the same rules as everyone else.
Outcome
After reviewing our complaint, the FEC fined Hillary for America and the Democratic National Committee $113,000. The fines confirmed what the Coolidge Reagan Foundation argued all along: these misreported payments were a violation of the law.
This case wasn’t about one campaign—it was about defending the integrity of our elections. Our persistence helped expose how Democrats financed foreign-influenced misinformation, and in the end, they were held accountable.
Bernie Sanders for President Fined $15,000
Bernie Sanders for President Fined $15,000
Issue
In both his 2016 and 2020 campaigns, Senator Bernie Sanders employed multiple staffers who were not U.S. citizens, including Maria Belén Sisa, his deputy national press secretary and a recipient of DACA protections.
FEC regulations strictly prohibit foreign nationals from participating (directly or indirectly) in the decision-making process of any U.S. political campaign.
Action
The Coolidge Reagan Foundation filed a formal complaint with the FEC alleging that Senator Bernie Sanders’ presidential campaigns violated federal election law by employing foreign nationals in key advisory roles. The complaint noted that these hires represented a direct violation of statutes designed to prevent foreign influence in American elections.
Outcome
The FEC found that Sanders’ 2016 and 2020 presidential campaigns had in fact violated federal election law by employing foreign nationals in campaign advisory roles. As a result, the campaigns were fined $15,000 for the violations—reinforcing a critical principle: the integrity of our democracy depends on Americans shaping our political future.