Rep. Jim Banks (R-IN), who’s running for the U.S. Senate, had a check for almost $40,000 stolen from his campaign organization and cashed — the latest in numerous thefts from political campaigns.
A Raw Story review of Federal Election Commission records shows that the Banks for Senate committee attempted to pay a $39,328.60 bill to Steve Brown Direct Marketing, a campaign contractor. But the paper check the campaign marketing firm via the U.S. Postal Service in July was stolen in transit, the records indicate.
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The Banks committee said it contacted law enforcement and that a criminal investigation is ongoing.
“It is important to note that there are no wrongdoers or bad actors within the committee,” the campaign wrote to the FEC, “and that the treasurer and finance team took every necessary step to rectify the situation as soon as it was discovered.”
The committee said that after the theft was discovered, it paid Steve Brown Direct Marketing in full.
Emily Hoover, vice president of Campaign Financial Services, a firm working for Banks, said the candidate's campaign committee has made changes to keep payments secure.
"The committee has employed practices to issue the majority of payments via (electronic) transfer, and has instituted the use of a digital check system which shields bank account numbers in the event payments are placed in the mail," she said.
Rep. Jim Banks (R-IN) at a hearing. (C-SPAN)
In a letter this week, the FEC asked the Banks campaign to “please provide any additional information as it becomes available.”
Thieves targeting numerous political committees
This is hardly the first time thieves ripped off political fundraising committees.
Over the past year, Raw Story reported that scammers stole millions of donor dollars combined from dozens of political campaign committees — which have experienced varying levels of success in recouping the stolen funds.
The United Mine Workers of America - Coal Miners PAC lost $37,000 after an unidentified thief “hacked” its bank account on Feb. 29, federal records indicate.
Earlier this year, a Texas Republican congressional candidate, Scott Armey, lost $25,013 through a “fraudulent transaction,” and another labor PAC, the Mason Tenders District Council of New York and Long Island PAC, lost more than $4,300 over the summer, Raw Story reported.
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Planned Parenthood of the Pacific Southwest PAC reported $14,156.25 in fraud over the course of December, Raw Story reported.
A thief nabbed a $3,000 check sent by a political committee led by former House Speaker Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA). The July 2023 check intended for a photographer was “stolen during the USPS mail process and fraudulently cashed,” Raw Story reported.
The American Israel Public Affairs Committee’s political action committee reported theft of nearly $4,700 due to fraudulent checks in December, and the Oregon Republican Party was the victim of a fake check scam last summer.
Last year, the FEC questioned the campaign of Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) about the fraudulent use of her campaign credit card by far-right agitator Milo Yiannopoulos, who purchased a 2024 campaign website domain for rapper-turned-2020 presidential candidate Ye, formerly Kanye West, using Greene’s donor dollars, Raw Story reported.
In May, Raw Story reported that the Managed Funds Association PAC was targeted more than 20 times between Jan. 1 and March 31, 2023, initially losing $147,000 in fraudulent check payments, although it appeared to have since recouped the money, according to filings with the FEC.
The Retired Americans PAC, a super PAC that supports Democrats, recouped more than $150,000 it lost in late 2022 after paying fraudulent bills sent to the committee, according to an April 21 letter to the Federal Election Commission, Raw Story reported.
The FBI got involved when Sen. Jerry Moran (R-KS) was the victim of a cybertheft incident in late 2022 that initially cost his campaign $690,000.
Raw Story reported that other current and former Republican members of Congress targeted by thieves include Rep. Troy Nehls of Texas (his campaign lost $157,626), former Rep. John Katko of New York ($14,000), Rep. Neal Dunn of Florida ($10,855), Rep. Russell Fry of South Carolina ($2,607.98) and Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida ($362.04).
The Republican National Committee and Rep. Diana Harshbarger (R-TN) also experienced campaign cash thefts.
The problem isn’t unique to Republicans.
Last year, the Minnesota Democratic Party experienced check fraud. In November 2022, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s campaign fell victim to check fraud worth $10,085, Raw Story reported, and President Joe Biden’s 2020 Democratic presidential campaign committee lost at least $71,000, according to Business Insider.
One-time Democratic presidential candidate and congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard and West are among others who reported money stolen from their political accounts.
Other PACs losing campaign cash to thieves include the Business Industry Political Action Committee ($14,156), State Farm Insurance PAC ($12,220) and the International Franchise Association Franchising Political Action Committee ($2,500), Raw Story reported.
The political action committees of Google, National Association of Manufacturers, Consumer Technology Association, National Air Traffic Controllers Association, International Brotherhood of Teamsters, MoveOn.org, and law firms Akerman LLP and Blank Rome LLP have also experienced theft of various kinds, ranging from cyber theft to forgeries and check tampering, according to Business Insider.