Michigan businessman Linden Nelson reportedly approached Democrat U.S. Senate candidate Hill Harper with a $20 million campaign contribution proposal if he instead made a primary challenge against Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., Politico reported Wednesday.
The offer, disclosed by a source with direct knowledge of the call, outlined a deal in which Harper would abandon his Senate bid to challenge Tlaib in the Democratic primary. The source revealed the proposed funds were to be split, with $10 million as bundled contributions directly to Harper's campaign and another $10 million in independent expenditures.
Harper neither confirmed nor denied the alleged offer from Nelson on the record. However, after the initial report's publication, he recounted the details in a post on X.
The incident sheds light on the backlash against Tlaib, the sole Palestinian American in Congress, for her outspoken criticism of the Israeli government following Hamas' terrorist attack on Oct. 7. Tlaib was censured by Democrats and Republicans in the House after invoking a pro-Palestinian slogan perceived as advocating for Israel's eradication.
Efforts to obtain Nelson's comment on the reported call were unsuccessful, as he terminated a brief call with Politico and did not respond to subsequent attempts to reach him. Tlaib's progressive colleagues, such as Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., also confront Democratic challengers who hold pro-Israel stances.
Harper, an actor and business owner positioning himself as a progressive, faces challenges with gaining traction in the U.S. Senate race against Rep. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich. Harper's stance on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, advocating for a "humanitarian cease-fire," might not align with a more pro-Israel approach sought by some Democratic donors.
Moreover, Harper's residence is in the district of Rep. Shri Thanedar, not Tlaib's. Tlaib has represented a district since 2019 with a significant Arab American population.
Although Tlaib has called for a permanent cease-fire in Gaza, the Democratic Party grapples with internal divisions over Israel, exacerbated by the conflict with Hamas. Progressive incumbents seek support from party leaders to counter pro-Israel Democrats' interest in primary challenges against lawmakers perceived as insufficiently supportive of the Israeli military response.
Nelson, a donor to candidates from both parties, has also contributed to a group aiming to unseat Tlaib. His history with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), which opposes Tlaib, is notable. However, an AIPAC spokesperson clarified that the group was not involved in the reported donation offer, and records indicate Nelson "hasn't contributed to AIPAC in over a decade."
The legality of the alleged donation offer is unknown.
Saurav Ghosh of the nonpartisan Campaign Legal Center suggested that potential coordination between a candidate and a wealthy donor for such a significant amount could raise corruption concerns and violate campaign finance laws.
"It would be illegal for a wealthy donor and a person planning to run for office to essentially coordinate and line up $20 million in financing to support that person's candidacy; this would raise serious corruption concerns about the candidate being wholly within that one donor's pocket, "he told Politico.
Jim Thomas ✉
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years.
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