Trump judge elect Leonard Leo may have violated Federalist community tax status to receive $1.6 billion in donations.
Leonard Leo, who helped select judicial nominees for former President Donald Trump, received a $1.6 billion donation to the conservative legal network through the introduction of the Federalist Society, whose tax rate prohibits political activity.
Leo first met Barre Said through an introduction by Eugene Meyer, now a 91-year-old manufacturing magnate turned donor and longtime director of the Federalist Society. At the time, Leo was the society’s executive vice president and currently he is its co-chairman. Meyer thought Saeed would contribute to society, according to people familiar with the entrance. Instead, Leo fostered Syed as a backer for his own dark money network. The result was a $1.6 billion donation announced last year — believed to be the largest political donation ever.
The Federalist Society is prohibited from engaging in partisan political activity, but Leo is using the society as a back door to raise large sums of money from conservative donors for partisan politics.
The scandal drew the attention of Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI).
As we consider the Supreme Court’s ethical quagmire today, we should keep this sinister quandary in mind. @JudiciaryDems Hearing.
Remember the image of Leon, Clarence Thomas and the right wing billionaire.
https://t.co/DZ3vrPRbA4— Sheldon Whitehouse (@SenWhitehouse) May 2, 2023
Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans talk about the swamp incessantly. The real swamp conservative billionaires bought their money and ruined the court system. Courts are critical to democracy, but what people like Leonard Leo are doing is subverting democracy with conservative billionaire money.
Clarence Thomas is the symptom, not the disease, and it is long past time for the uncorrupted elements of government to step in and save the courts from actual internal aggression.
Jason is the managing editor. He is also a member of the White House Press Pool and Congressional Correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a bachelor’s degree in political science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform activities.
Awards and professional memberships
Member of the Association of Professional Journalists and the American Political Science Association
