Several states are working to ban foreign funding of elections after a dark money group poured cash from foreign billionaires into ballot initiatives last year.
As of October, the Sixteen Thirty Fund, a nonprofit that has funneled more than $1 billion dollars in dark money to liberal causes, had spent nearly $23 million on state ballot initiatives. The fund is fueled, in large part, by Swiss billionaire Hansjörg Wyss, who has given the group $243 million. Wyss has said he has “never felt the need to become an American” but wants to “(re)interpret the American Constitution in the light of progressive politics.”
That may be easier said than done.
In June, Ohio became the first state to ban both direct and indirect foreign funding of state ballot issues. Since then, at least eight other states have begun trying to ban foreign nationals from funneling cash into American elections. Last week, the Mississippi Senate as well as the Kentucky and Wyoming Houses passed legislation to ban foreign nationals from funding elections.
State legislative committees in Kansas, Indiana, and Utah voted to advance similar legislation last week, and similar bills have also been introduced in Tennessee and Missouri.
Kansas HB 2106 — a crucial bill to stop foreign nationals from funding state ballot issue campaigns — has cleared the House Committee on Elections.
The bill now heads to the House floor for a full vote. Kansas lawmakers must act to protect Kansas elections! pic.twitter.com/RAvUZCRBdv
— Americans for Public Trust (@apublictrust) February 11, 2025
Federal lawmakers have taken note as well.
In December, the House committee that oversees federal elections held a hearing discussing loopholes that allow foreign nationals to contribute to political campaigns.
In the recent election cycle, the Sixteen Thirty Fund funded ballot initiatives in several swing states or states with a close Senate election, Americans for Public Trust found.
In Arizona, the group gave $1.25 million to support an abortion ballot initiative that passed, enshrining a right to abortion in the state constitution. Nevada approved a similar abortion initiative on the ballot this November, and the Sixteen Thirty Fund gave $500,000 to that effort. Democrats hoped that putting abortion on the ballot would boost Democratic voter turnout in these states.
The Sixteen Thirty Fund also funded ballot initiatives in Ohio, Florida, Nebraska, Montana, Missouri, and Alaska.
Since 2014, the Sixteen Thirty Fund has spent more than $115 million on ballot initiatives in 25 states — including $34 million in Michigan, $21 million in Ohio, $11 million in Colorado, $10 million in Missouri, $7 million in Nevada, about $3.5 million each in Florida and North Carolina, and $1 million in Arizona.
States that ban foreign nationals from funding elections would no longer see these influxes of foreign cash flowing into their ballot initiatives.
“It’s clear that Americans across the country are sick and tired of foreign funds influencing our politics and want their election officials to take action,” said Caitlin Sutherland, executive director of Americans for Public Trust.
“We are encouraged by the momentum happening in the states, and look forward to Congress building on their work from last session to pass a bill that bans foreign nationals from influencing ballot initiatives nationwide,” Sutherland said.
“Closing the foreign election influence loophole is crucial to promoting election integrity,” said Jason Snead, executive director of the Honest Elections Project. “Fortunately, states are beginning to take action to prevent foreign nationals from impacting American elections.”
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Several states are working to ban foreign funding of elections after a dark money group poured cash from foreign billionaires into ballot initiatives last year.
As of October, the Sixteen Thirty Fund, a nonprofit that has funneled more than $1 billion dollars in dark money to liberal causes, had spent nearly $23 million on state ballot initiatives. The fund is fueled, in large part, by Swiss billionaire Hansjörg Wyss, who has given the group $243 million. Wyss has said he has “never felt the need to become an American” but wants to “(re)interpret the American Constitution in the light of progressive politics.”
That may be easier said than done.
In June, Ohio became the first state to ban both direct and indirect foreign funding of state ballot issues. Since then, at least eight other states have begun trying to ban foreign nationals from funneling cash into American elections. Last week, the Mississippi Senate as well as the Kentucky and Wyoming Houses passed legislation to ban foreign nationals from funding elections.
State legislative committees in Kansas, Indiana, and Utah voted to advance similar legislation last week, and similar bills have also been introduced in Tennessee and Missouri.
Kansas HB 2106 — a crucial bill to stop foreign nationals from funding state ballot issue campaigns — has cleared the House Committee on Elections.
The bill now heads to the House floor for a full vote. Kansas lawmakers must act to protect Kansas elections! pic.twitter.com/RAvUZCRBdv
— Americans for Public Trust (@apublictrust) February 11, 2025
Federal lawmakers have taken note as well.
In December, the House committee that oversees federal elections held a hearing discussing loopholes that allow foreign nationals to contribute to political campaigns.
In the recent election cycle, the Sixteen Thirty Fund funded ballot initiatives in several swing states or states with a close Senate election, Americans for Public Trust found.
In Arizona, the group gave $1.25 million to support an abortion ballot initiative that passed, enshrining a right to abortion in the state constitution. Nevada approved a similar abortion initiative on the ballot this November, and the Sixteen Thirty Fund gave $500,000 to that effort. Democrats hoped that putting abortion on the ballot would boost Democratic voter turnout in these states.
The Sixteen Thirty Fund also funded ballot initiatives in Ohio, Florida, Nebraska, Montana, Missouri, and Alaska.
Since 2014, the Sixteen Thirty Fund has spent more than $115 million on ballot initiatives in 25 states — including $34 million in Michigan, $21 million in Ohio, $11 million in Colorado, $10 million in Missouri, $7 million in Nevada, about $3.5 million each in Florida and North Carolina, and $1 million in Arizona.
States that ban foreign nationals from funding elections would no longer see these influxes of foreign cash flowing into their ballot initiatives.
“It’s clear that Americans across the country are sick and tired of foreign funds influencing our politics and want their election officials to take action,” said Caitlin Sutherland, executive director of Americans for Public Trust.
“We are encouraged by the momentum happening in the states, and look forward to Congress building on their work from last session to pass a bill that bans foreign nationals from influencing ballot initiatives nationwide,” Sutherland said.
“Closing the foreign election influence loophole is crucial to promoting election integrity,” said Jason Snead, executive director of the Honest Elections Project. “Fortunately, states are beginning to take action to prevent foreign nationals from impacting American elections.”
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