by Robert Schmad
A Democratic-aligned dark money group that receives significant backing from a foreign billionaire is dumping tens of millions of dollars into influencing ballot initiatives ahead of November’s election, according to a new report.
The Sixteen Thirty Fund received $143 million in backing from the Berger Action Fund, a nonprofit bankrolled by Swiss billionaire Hansjorg Wyss, between 2019 and 2022. This election cycle, the Sixteen Thirty Fund has spent nearly $23 million on ballot initiatives in a number of swing states on issues like abortion, minimum wage policy and election reform, according to a report from watchdog group Americans for Public Trust (APT).
APT and others believe Wyss (pictured above) is not an American citizen, and the Swiss billionaire, who lives in Wyoming, has been vague about his naturalization status.
Wyss once told a Swiss newspaper that he “never felt the need to become a [U.S.] citizen” and that he found the process “too complicated,” according to APT. Wyss’ sister authored a book titled “My Brother” in 2014 where she wrote that Wyss had “never applied for [U.S.] citizenship,” RealClearPolitics reported. Wyss, who made his fortune selling medical devices, had not disclosed publicly whether he is a U.S. citizen as of 2021, The New York Times reported.
APT argues that Wyss’ arrangement with the Sixteen Thirty Fund enables him to spend money to influence American elections despite being a foreigner.
“It’s unconscionable that foreign money is currently influencing our politics through a loophole most mainstream media and politicians are either ignoring or don’t know about,” APT president Caitlin Sutherland told the Daily Caller News Foundation. “Activists like the ones running Sixteen Thirty Fund are targeting competitive states — not just to usher in left-wing legislative changes via these ballot measures, but also to give a boost to the liberals at the top of the ticket, which folks have openly admitted that’s their goal.”
Some Democratic strategists view ballot abortion referendums, which the Sixteen Thirty Fund has spent considerable funds supporting, as a way to sway people toward their party’s candidates. The Sixteen Thirty Fund has pumped millions into ballot initiative campaigns in Arizona, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada and Ohio, all of which have competitive presidential or senatorial races — both in some cases.
Federal law doesn’t currently prohibit foreign dollars from funding ballot measure campaigns, according to APT. Foreigners, however, are barred from donating directly to candidates and political action committees.
The Sixteen Thirty Fund has spent a total of $115 million on state ballot issues since 2014, with Wyss donating at least $234 million to the group since its inception, per APT’s analysis of campaign finance and nonprofit records.
“State legislatures and the U.S. Congress should act to close this foreign influence loophole,” the report’s conclusion reads. “Foreign nationals are already prohibited from donating to U.S. political candidates, committees and Super PACs, and the same prohibition should apply to state ballot issue campaigns … American policy debates should be for American citizens.”
When reached by the DCNF in February, a spokesperson for the Berger Action Fund would not comment on whether or not Wyss’ money supported political activities but stressed that it “complies with laws and rules governing its activities and prohibits its grants from being used to support or oppose political candidates or parties, or otherwise engage in electoral activities.”
Sixteen Thirty Fund and Berger Action Fund did not immediately respond to the DCNF’s requests for comment.
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Robert Schmad is a reporter at Daily Caller News Foundation.
Photo “Hansjörg Wyss” by Oceana. CC BY 3.0.
