Rep. Mike Levin Accused of Accepting Straw Political Donations

Levin has come under scrutiny for alleged straw donations linked to donor in Hunter Biden art scandal.'

Mike Levin, a Democratic congressman known for his vulnerability in tight races, finds himself in hot water after reports surfaced that his campaign may have been financed by a donor connected to the Hunter Biden art scandal through a possible straw donation scheme.

The controversy unfolded after Elizabeth Hirsh Naftali, Hunter Biden's art patron, reportedly reached her legal contribution limit to Levin, only for her minor son to donate $1,000 to Levin’s campaign shortly thereafter.

An NRCC Spokesperson, Ben Petersen, expressed strong concern, stating, “This attempt to circumvent campaign finance laws should have set off alarm bells at Levin HQ, but like Hunter Biden, Mike Levin puts money over ethics.”

The Washington Free Beacon highlighted that this isn't the first time Naftali's family has been involved in suspicious campaign donations. In 2015, Naftali sent Hillary Clinton the legal maximum of $2,700 for the primary election. Notably, just 10 days after reaching her legal limit, Naftali's 17-year-old daughter made an identical donation to Clinton.

The pattern continued with Naftali's son, who sent thousands of dollars to Congressman Mike Levin and then-presidential candidate Kamala Harris after Naftali reached the legal limits to both Democrats.

Federal law does allow minors to contribute to political campaigns, provided they do so “knowingly and voluntarily” using their own funds. In Naftali's case, her children are beneficiaries of a trust set up by their grandparents, which could technically make the funds their own. However, any direction from Naftali to her children regarding contributions to liberal politicians could place her in legal jeopardy.

The possibility that Naftali may have directed her children to make contributions raises questions of legality. “Their parents can’t say, ‘If you donate, we’ll give you your money later, or we’ll give you a really big Christmas gift,'” warned Kendra Arnold, executive director of campaign finance watchdog Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust. “The facts in this case line up to indicate that could have happened here.”

As the story develops, the allegations against Levin's campaign could lead to a broader investigation into the use of straw donations in political contributions. The situation highlights the ongoing challenge of maintaining transparency and ethics in campaign financing, a topic that continues to prompt debate and demand scrutiny across the political landscape.