Rep. Mike Levin Linked to Controversial Donor Behind Hunter Biden Art Controversy

Congressman Mike Levin's campaign donations are called into question as he accepts funds from a donor involved in potential straw donation scheme.

Congressman Mike Levin's campaign was connected to Elizabeth Hirsh Naftali, a prominent donor linked to Hunter Biden's art controversy, via a possible “straw donation scheme.”

According to details that have emerged, Naftali's contributions reached the legal maximum allowable to Levin, and shortly thereafter, her minor son donated $1,000 to Levin's campaign. This pattern of behavior, some claim, could be indicative of a scheme to bypass legal donation limits. “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,” stated NRCC Spokesperson Ben Petersen.

This is not the first time Naftali's donations have raised eyebrows. In 2015, she reached the legal contribution limit for Hillary Clinton's primary campaign and then her underage daughter, just 17 at the time, contributed an additional $2,700 to Clinton. Federal disclosures reveal that Naftali's son has continued this practice, donating to both Mike Levin and presidential candidate Kamala Harris after Naftali reached her legal maximum.

Federal law does allow minors to donate to political campaigns, provided they do so “knowingly and voluntarily” with their own funds. Court records show that Naftali's children are beneficiaries of a trust set up by their grandparents, making the money they receive their own income under federal law. However, Naftali could not lawfully direct her children to contribute to liberal politicians using funds from the trust.

The matter was even called out on Twitter by former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich and candidate for congress Matt Gunderson.

If it were proven that Naftali had directed or paid her children to make these contributions, she might be found guilty of running a straw donation scheme, a criminal act that has been uncovered by federal prosecutors in recent cases. “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,'” remarked 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.”