{"id":2288395,"date":"2024-07-03T03:53:01","date_gmt":"2024-07-03T07:53:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/elias-firm-sues-to-let-foreign-billionaires-buy-ohio-elections\/"},"modified":"2024-07-03T03:57:42","modified_gmt":"2024-07-03T07:57:42","slug":"elias-firm-sues-to-let-foreign-billionaires-buy-ohio-elections","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/elias-firm-sues-to-let-foreign-billionaires-buy-ohio-elections\/","title":{"rendered":"Elias&#8217; Firm Sues To Let Foreign Billionaires Buy Ohio Elections"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">20<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Felias-firm-sues-to-let-foreign-billionaires-buy-ohio-elections%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2288395&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>A prominent Democrat law firm, founded by an architect of the Trump-Russia hoax, is suing to allow foreign billionaires to meddle in Ohio elections. Ohio Governor Mike DeWine signed a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/one-word-in-your-state-constitution-could-open-up-your-elections-to-foreign-nationals\/\" title=\"A Single Word in Your State Constitution Could Allow Foreign Nationals to Participate in Your Elections\">bill <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/ohio-governor-calls-special-session-to-ensure-biden-and-harris-are-on-states-2024-ballot\/\" title=\"Ohio governor convenes special session to secure Biden and Harris on 2024 state ballot\">banning foreign nationals<\/a><\/a> from spending\u2064 money on state ballot measures, prompting Elias Law Group\u2064 to challenge the bill in \u2064court. The group, founded by Marc Elias, is \u200daccused of doing the bidding of Democrat politicians \u2063and sued in the \u2063U.S. District Court for the \u2064Southern District of Ohio, claiming that the state&#8217;s election integrity measure would harm public discourse. The law prohibits foreign \u200cnationals, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/judge-nixes-new-york-democrats-scheme-to-let-non-citizens-vote\/\" title=\"Judge Nixes New York Democrats\u2019 Scheme To Let Non-Citizens Vote\">including green card holders<\/a>, foreign political parties, and businesses, from contributing funding for ballot issues or candidates. Critics argue that the lawsuit is a means for Democrats to access foreign campaign funding despite their \u2064history of decrying\u2062 foreign interference in elections. The Elias Law \u2063Group has ties to George Soros and has represented\u200b left-wing dark-money groups. Swiss billionaire Hansj\u00f6rg Wyss, a client of Elias, has reportedly\u2063 funded efforts \u2062to influence Ohio elections, including contributing \u2064to campaigns to codify a right to abortion\u2064 in the state constitution.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<p>A prominent Democrat law firm, founded by an architect of the Trump-Russia hoax, is suing to let foreign billionaires meddle in Ohio elections.<\/p>\n<p>Ohio Republican Gov. Mike DeWine <a href=\"https:\/\/governor.ohio.gov\/media\/news-and-media\/governor-dewine-signs-bills-into-law-june-2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">signed<\/a> House Bill 1 on June 2, banning foreign nationals from <a href=\"https:\/\/ohiohouse.gov\/news\/republican\/ohio-house-passes-bill-to-ban-foreign-interference-in-ohio-elections-ensure-both-major-political-parties-appear-on-ballot-120161#:~:text=About-,Ohio%20House%20Passes%20Bill%20to%20Ban%20Foreign%20Interference%20in%20Ohio,Political%20Parties%20Appear%20on%20Ballot&#038;text=COLUMBUS%E2%80%94The%20Ohio%20House%20of,issue%20campaigns%2C%20announced%20State%20Rep.\">spending<\/a> money on state ballot measures. Elias Law Group, founded by Russia hoaxer Marc Elias, challenged the bill in court on June 27, according to <a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/foreign-nationals-donation-ban-lawsuit-ohio-8720e7a90bec26edb03eaf37c42e8b6f\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The Associated Press<\/a>. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Elias, while working for a law firm whose client was Hillary Clinton\u2019s 2016 campaign, <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2024\/05\/15\/obama-appointed-judge-smacks-down-marc-elias-election-lawfare\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">paid<\/a> Fusion GPS for the infamous Steele dossier that accused former President Donald Trump of ties to Russia. He then <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2024\/05\/15\/obama-appointed-judge-smacks-down-marc-elias-election-lawfare\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">peddled<\/a> the dossier to bureaucrats and legacy media.<\/p>\n<p>Elias founded the Elias Law Group in 2021 to do the bidding of Democrat politicians, according to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.influencewatch.org\/for-profit\/elias-law-group\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Influence Watch<\/a>. The group, along with the law firm Cooper Elliott, <a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/foreign-nationals-donation-ban-lawsuit-ohio-8720e7a90bec26edb03eaf37c42e8b6f\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">sued<\/a> in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, claiming that the state\u2019s election integrity measure would harm public discourse.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAll noncitizens are now threatened with investigation, criminal prosecution, and mandatory fines if they even indicate they intend to engage in any election-related spending or contributions \u2014 including to support or oppose ballot questions in virtually any capacity,\u201d the lawsuit <a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/foreign-nationals-donation-ban-lawsuit-ohio-8720e7a90bec26edb03eaf37c42e8b6f\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">reads<\/a>, according to the AP.<\/p>\n<p>The Ohio law <a href=\"https:\/\/www.legislature.ohio.gov\/files\/special-session\/R-3975(SS)-135.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">prohibits<\/a> foreign nationals including green card holders, foreign political parties, foreign governments, and foreign businesses from contributing funding for \u201cballot issues or candidates.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>So perhaps Elias\u2019 real issue with Ohio\u2019s ban on foreign campaign funding is that it keeps Democrats from <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2024\/05\/10\/pressure-grows-for-ohio-speaker-to-advance-bill-keeping-foreign-cash-out-of-elections\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">doing<\/a> what he falsely accused Trump of doing. The law simply <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2024\/05\/10\/pressure-grows-for-ohio-speaker-to-advance-bill-keeping-foreign-cash-out-of-elections\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">bans<\/a> foreign funders from interfering in Ohio elections to boost partisan turnout. <\/p>\n<div>\n<p>Caitlin Sutherland, director of Americans for Public Trust, pointed out the hypocrisy of Democrats who pretend to care about \u201cforeign interference.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFor those following along at home, this means the attorney for a foreign billionaire is suing to make sure he can keep spending in Ohio,\u201d Sutherland <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/CaitlinAPT\/status\/1806751958138605732\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">wrote<\/a> on X about Elias\u2019 client, Swiss billionaire Hansj\u00f6rg Wyss. \u201cI thought Dems said foreign interference is a problem?\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h2>Compromised Interests<\/h2>\n<p>According to Influence Watch, Elias\u2019 firm <a href=\"https:\/\/www.influencewatch.org\/for-profit\/elias-law-group\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">took<\/a> $5 million from George Soros \u201csometime before 2016\u201d to \u201cchallenge what left-wing activists allege to be restrictions that deter Democrats and left-wing constituencies from voting.\u201d The firm also <a href=\"https:\/\/www.influencewatch.org\/for-profit\/elias-law-group\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">represented<\/a> the left-wing dark-money behemoth Arabella Advisors in 2022.<\/p>\n<p>Wyss \u2014 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bloomberg.com\/news\/articles\/2024-01-25\/meet-the-swiss-billionaire-cast-by-us-conservatives-as-the-new-george-soros\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">known<\/a> as the \u201cnew Soros,\u201d according to Bloomberg \u2014 has also <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2024\/04\/10\/arabella-sheds-light-on-the-dark-money-groups-remaking-america-millions-of-dollars-at-a-time\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">given<\/a> some $52 million through the Wyss Foundation to Arabella groups from 2010 to 2020. The groups have <a href=\"https:\/\/capitalresearch.org\/article\/meet-the-swiss-billionaire-behind-arabella-advisors-dark-money-empire\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">worked closely together<\/a> over the years.<\/p>\n<p>The Daily Caller <a href=\"https:\/\/dailycaller.com\/2016\/02\/28\/exclusive-clintons-swiss-ally-gave-big-bucks-to-u-s-campaigns\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">revealed<\/a> in 2016 that Wyss had given $41,000 to Democrat causes in 1998-2003, violating the federal ban on foreign nationals giving to campaigns. Americans for Public Trust filed a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.influencewatch.org\/app\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Wyss-Foundation-FEC-Complaint-Americans-for-Public-Trust.-05.15.21.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">complaint<\/a> in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/arabella-sheds-light-on-the-dark-money-groups-remaking-america-millions-of-dollars-at-a-time\/\" title=\"Arabella Exposes Dark Money Groups Reshaping America with Millions in Funding\">2021 alleging illegal election interference<\/a> from Wyss, the Wyss Foundation, and Arabella\u2019s Sixteen Thirty Fund and New Venture Fund, and the Berger Action Fund, which was previously the Wyss Action Fund.<\/p>\n<p>Wyss has also interfered in Ohio elections, <a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/election-2024-biden-ballot-ohio-0bef3376ee6abbad9cb324e725a1e3a2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">reportedly<\/a> funding groups that sent a total of $3.9 million to help <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ohiosos.gov\/globalassets\/elections\/2023\/gen\/issuesreport.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">codify<\/a> a supposed right to abortion in the state\u2019s constitution. The ballot measure <a href=\"https:\/\/ohiocapitaljournal.com\/2023\/11\/07\/ohio-voters-pass-issue-1-constitutional-amendment-to-protect-abortion-and-reproductive-rights\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">passed<\/a> in November.<\/p>\n<p>So essentially, a lawyer for Wyss\u2019s interests is now suing to return the levers of power in Ohio to people like the foreign billionaire. Wyss clearly has political aims, as the Wyss Foundation <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2024\/04\/04\/inside-one-dark-money-fueled-groups-strategy-session-to-target-democrat-voting-blocs\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">worked<\/a> with John Podesta, former adviser to President Barack Obama, in 2015 to expand the Democrat voter base with election policy. <\/p>\n<p>The Elias\u2019 Law Group\u2019s suit is not about fair treatment for foreigners residing in America. It is simply a desperate power grab for the dark-money influencers that seek to co-opt American elections for their own ends. <\/p>\n<p>This bill overcame <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2024\/05\/10\/pressure-grows-for-ohio-speaker-to-advance-bill-keeping-foreign-cash-out-of-elections\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">plenty<\/a> of <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2024\/05\/09\/gop-speaker-blocks-bill-keeping-foreign-money-out-of-ohio-ballot-measure-campaigns\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">conflict<\/a> to become law. Now Elias\u2019 firm hopes to undo this protection for Ohio voters. Like some of Elias\u2019 previous work, the judge in this case should treat it as an \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2024\/05\/15\/obama-appointed-judge-smacks-down-marc-elias-election-lawfare\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">absurd interpretation<\/a>\u201d of the law for partisan ends. <\/p>\n<hr>\n<p>      Logan Washburn is a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/lawsuit-clark-county-keeps-commercial-addresses-on-voter-rolls\/\" title=\"Lawsuit: Clark County Keeps Commercial Addresses On Voter Rolls\">staff writer covering election integrity<\/a>. He graduated from Hillsdale College, served as Christopher Rufo&#8217;s editorial assistant, and has bylines in The Wall Street Journal, The Tennessean, and The Daily Caller. Logan is originally from Central Oregon but now lives in rural Michigan.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A well-known Democratic law firm, founded by a key figure in the Trump-Russia scandal, is suing to allow foreign billionaires to interfere in Ohio elections. The firm, Elias Law Group, led by Marc Elias, challenged a bill signed by Ohio Republican Gov. Mike DeWine that bans foreign nationals from spending money on state ballot measures. Elias, known for his involvement in the Steele dossier during Hillary Clinton&#8217;s 2016 campaign, founded the Elias Law Group in 2021 to support Democratic politicians. The lawsuit claims that the state&#8217;s election integrity measure would harm public discourse by prohibiting foreign nationals from contributing to ballot issues or candidates. Critics point out the hypocrisy of Democrats who claim to be concerned about foreign interference while supporting a lawsuit that would allow foreign billionaires to influence Ohio elections. The lawsuit is seen as a power grab by dark-money influencers seeking to manipulate American elections for their own benefit<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":507,"featured_media":2288396,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Screenshot-2024-07-02-at-4.27.57%E2%80%AFPM-1024x567.png","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[546],"tags":[6571,7976,4333],"class_list":["post-2288395","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-federalist","tag-elections","tag-lawsuits","tag-ohio"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Screenshot-2024-07-02-at-4.27.57%E2%80%AFPM-1024x567.png","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2288395","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/507"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2288395"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2288395\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2288396"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2288395"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2288395"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2288395"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}