Two former aides to U.S. Sen. Rand Paul are at the center of an undercover investigation by a British newspaper alleging the two attempted to inappropriately funnel international money to a political group supporting Donald Trump’s presidential campaign.
The British newspaper said it sent reporters undercover posing as representatives for a wealthy Chinese businessmen who wanted to donate $2 million to the Great America political action committee. Federal law prohibits campaign donations from foreigners.
Jesse Benton, a Louisville resident and a former campaign manager for Paul and U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell, was shown in a video with reporters from the Telegraph offering to find a way to use the money on advertisements for Trump.
Eric Beach, the former national finance chairman for Paul’s failed presidential campaign who now co-chairs the Great America PAC, was shown on camera saying the businessman would “get credit” for the donation but warned them not to “overdo it with the influence.”
Benton is shown telling the reporters that the Chinese donor’s generosity could be “whispered into Mr. Trump’s ear.”
The Great America PAC has raised more than $14 million to benefit Trump.
According to the Telegraph, Benton denied any “unethical” behavior and said he spoke to the reporters after a “business referral” from Beach and not as a representative of Great America PAC. He could not be immediately reached for comment by the Herald-Leader Monday evening.
The PAC’s lawyer, Dan Backer, told the Telegraph that Benton has not been involved with the organization since May, when he was found guilty of participating in a bribery scandal while he worked on the 2012 presidential campaign of former U.S. Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas.
“Mr Benton has not solicited any contributions to the PAC that I am aware of, nor has he been asked to do so,” Backer told the Telegraph.
He added: “The conduct of the PAC and Mr. Beach’s conduct was appropriate, ethical and legal at all times.”
In early October, Benton told the Herald-Leader he was now working for America’s Liberty PAC, which is supporting Rand Paul’s Senate re-election campaign. He has no role in Paul’s official campaign.
According to the Telegraph, Benton recently reached out to the undercover Telegraph reporters after allegedly being asked to do so by Beach. Beach had been previously approached by the reporters.
Benton allegedly met with the reporters in New York City and offered to disguise the origin of the proposed donation by funneling the money through his consulting company, Titan Strategies LLC, before donating it to two other groups, which would then give the money to Great America PAC.
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