Two Democratic Federal Election Commission (FEC) members are attending the Democratic National Committee (DNC) convention while their agency reviews a significant campaign finance complaint involving Kamala Harris. FEC commissioners Ellen Weintraub and Shana Broussard accepted “honored guest” invitations to the DNC’s event in Chicago despite an ongoing investigation into a $91.5 million transfer from President Biden’s campaign to Harris.
The Trump campaign filed the complaint on July 23, calling the transfer “a brazen money grab” and accusing the Harris campaign of violating the Federal Election Campaign Act. Two days later, DNC officials offered all six FEC commissioners invitations to attend the convention, with only Weintraub and Broussard accepting. The three Republican commissioners and one Democratic commissioner declined.
This decision has drawn criticism from ethics experts, who believe attending a partisan event during an investigation raises questions about impartiality. Jessica Furst Johnson, a legal expert and former Republican Party counsel, said, “Any reasonable person would see this as inappropriate and potentially harmful to the integrity of the investigation.”
The DNC’s offer included access to exclusive events and accommodations at a high-end hotel, though FEC spokespeople have stated that the commissioners are not using DNC funds for their stay. This isn’t the first time Weintraub has faced ethical scrutiny, as she has been accused in the past of partisan bias and accepting foreign-funded trips while condemning foreign influence in U.S. politics.
The situation highlights broader concerns about the FEC’s ability to maintain neutrality while investigating high-stakes political cases, especially when commissioners attend events hosted by the very parties they are tasked with regulating.
