Democratic Party of Wisconsin Files FEC Complaint After Derrick Van Orden Uses Campaign Funds to Attend Capitol Insurrection
MADISON, Wis. — Today, the Democratic Party of Wisconsin filed a Federal Election Commission (FEC) complaint following Derrick Van Orden’s apparent misuse of campaign funds to attend the deadly riot in the U.S. Capitol. Here are the facts:
- Van Orden’s self-reported campaign finance filings show his campaign footed the bill of over $4,000 for travel and lodging to Washington D.C. around January 6, 2021, when Van Orden attended the assault on our democracy.
- Federal law prohibits former candidates from using surplus campaign funds for personal use, such as personal travel to attend a violent attack on the U.S. Capitol, as it appears Van Orden did.
- Van Orden tried to cover up his attendance at the insurrection, but investigative reports have confirmed he was “in a restricted area of Capitol grounds while the mob of Trump supporters were storming and entering the building.“
DPW is calling on the FEC to immediately investigate Van Orden’s apparent illegal use of campaign donations as a personal slush fund to attend the deadly insurrection on January 6. Van Orden’s apparent misuse of campaign funds has raised ethical concerns from multiple nonpartisan government watchdog groups including Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington and Common Cause Wisconsin.
“Derrick Van Orden not only lied about his involvement in a deadly attack on our democracy, but he appears to have violated federal law by bankrolling his attendance as he stood on the Capitol grounds during the insurrection on his campaign’s dime,” said Democratic Party of Wisconsin Executive Director Nellie Sires. “Van Orden’s misconduct is disturbing, unethical, and confirms he’s unfit to represent Wisconsin.”
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. It has not been verified for its accuracy or completeness.
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