{"id":2565947,"date":"2026-02-06T12:29:02","date_gmt":"2026-02-06T17:29:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/michigan-alabama-republicans-advance-bills-to-cut-off-foreign-money-in-elections\/"},"modified":"2026-02-06T12:36:23","modified_gmt":"2026-02-06T17:36:23","slug":"michigan-alabama-republicans-advance-bills-to-cut-off-foreign-money-in-elections","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/michigan-alabama-republicans-advance-bills-to-cut-off-foreign-money-in-elections\/","title":{"rendered":"Michigan, Alabama Pass Bills To End Foreign Money In 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%2Fmichigan-alabama-republicans-advance-bills-to-cut-off-foreign-money-in-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=2565947&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>Michigan and Alabama Republicans moved to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/foreign-funded-group-spent-1-million-to-elect-wis-crawford\/\" title=\"Foreign-Funded Group Spent  Million To Elect WI&#039;s Crawford\">curb foreign money<\/a> in state elections. In Michigan,the House passed HB 5197,which would bar ballot-question committees from accepting contributions from foreign nationals,require donors to affirm they are not foreign nationals,and mandate return of impermissible funds within 30 business days,with civil fines up to twice the amount of the undisclosed contribution. The bill also prohibits foreign donations to ballot questions or related independent expenditures and now proceeds to the senate. The piece notes concerns about foreign influence linked to donors like Hansjorg Wyss and the Sixteen Thirty Fund,which have funded ballot campaigns in Michigan,including a 2022 abortion rights measure. In Alabama, the House approved HB 214 to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/court-ohio-can-prohibit-foreign-money-in-ballot-campaigns\/\" title=\"Court: Ohio Can Prohibit ... In ... Campaigns\">ban foreign nationals<\/a> from directly or indirectly contributing to <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 ...\">state ballot campaigns<\/a>, with the measure headed to the Senate. The report presents these moves as efforts to ensure election funding is transparent and free from foreign interference.  <\/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 class=\"article-body body-md bdr-top-black pt-30\">\n<div class=\"row justify-content-center\">\n<div class=\"col-12\">\n<figure class=\"article-thumbnail mb-30 mb-sm-60\">\n<div class=\"article-thumbnail-caption d-flex align-items-center justify-content-md-end label-xs mt-15\">         <i class=\"mdi mdi-camera me-10\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>         <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Image Credit<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:Exchange_Money_Conversion_to_Foreign_Currency.jpg\">epSos.de\/Wikimedia Commons\/<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/2.0\/deed.en\">CC BY 2.0<\/a>       <\/div>\n<\/figure><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"article-share text-center article-share-simple\">\n<h5 class=\"label-sm mb-10\">Share<\/h5>\n<ul class=\"article-share-list list-unstyled m-0 p-0\">\n<li class=\"article-share-facebook m-0\">       <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer\/sharer.php?u=https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2026\/02\/06\/michigan-alabama-republicans-advance-bills-to-cut-off-foreign-money-in-elections\/\" target=\"_blank\">         <i class=\"mdi mdi-facebook\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>         <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Share Article on Facebook<\/span>       <\/a>     <\/li>\n<li class=\"article-share-twitter m-0\">       <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=Michigan,%20Alabama%20Republicans%20Advance%20Bills%20To%20Cut%20Off%20Foreign%20Money%20In%20Elections&amp;url=https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2026\/02\/06\/michigan-alabama-republicans-advance-bills-to-cut-off-foreign-money-in-elections\/\" target=\"_blank\">         <i class=\"mdi mdi-twitter\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>         <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Share Article on Twitter<\/span>       <\/a>     <\/li>\n<li class=\"article-share-truth-social m-0\">       <a href=\"https:\/\/truthsocial.com\/share?title=Michigan,%20Alabama%20Republicans%20Advance%20Bills%20To%20Cut%20Off%20Foreign%20Money%20In%20Elections&amp;url=https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2026\/02\/06\/michigan-alabama-republicans-advance-bills-to-cut-off-foreign-money-in-elections\/\" target=\"_blank\">         <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" fill=\"currentColor\" style=\"width:36px;height:auto;\" viewbox=\"0 0 92 93\"><path d=\"M69.444 55.716H56.772v10.37h12.672zM64.487 37.795V27.32H38.666v38.664h13.18v-28.19zM21.05 27.321h12.653v10.471H21.051z\" https:><\/path><\/svg>         <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Share Article on Truth Social<\/span>       <\/a>     <\/li>\n<li class=\"article-share-link m-0\">       <button data-clipboard-text=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2026\/02\/06\/michigan-alabama-republicans-advance-bills-to-cut-off-foreign-money-in-elections\/\" data-tooltip-content=\"Copied!\" class=\"clip tooltip\">         <i class=\"mdi mdi-link-variant\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>         <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Copy Article Link<\/span>       <\/button>     <\/li>\n<li class=\"article-share-email m-0\">       <a href=\"mailto:?subject=Michigan,%20Alabama%20Republicans%20Advance%20Bills%20To%20Cut%20Off%20Foreign%20Money%20In%20Elections&amp;body=%20https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2026\/02\/06\/michigan-alabama-republicans-advance-bills-to-cut-off-foreign-money-in-elections\/\" target=\"_blank\">         <i class=\"mdi mdi-email\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>         <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Share Article via Email<\/span>       <\/a>     <\/li>\n<li class=\"article-share-email m-0\"><span class=\"printfriendly pf-button  pf-alignleft\"><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/thefederalist.com\/#\" rel=\"nofollow\" onclick=\"window.print(); return false;\" title=\"Printer Friendly, PDF &amp; Email\"><span id=\"printfriendly-text2\" class=\"pf-button-text\"><i class=\"mdi mdi-printer\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<p>Michigan and Alabama Republicans took major steps this week to secure their states&rsquo; elections from foreign dark money. <\/p>\n<p>The GOP-controlled Michigan House passed legislation (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.legislature.mi.gov\/Bills\/Bill?ObjectName=2025-HB-5197\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">HB 5197<\/a>) on Thursday that seeks to prohibit foreign nationals from contributing money to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/inside-one-gop-firms-secret-fight-to-protect-the-seminole-tribes-gambling-monopoly\/\" title=\"Inside One GOP Firm\u2019s Secret Fight to Protect The Seminole Tribe\u2019s Gambling Monopoly\">ballot initiative campaigns<\/a>. The measure passed 97-6, with seven members not voting. <\/p>\n<div class=\"fdrlst__b89e9-paragraph-2 d-flex justify-content-center\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center; \" id=\"fdrlst__b89e9-1905699970\">\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-1463670073398-0\" class=\"mb-30\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>HB 5197 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.legislature.mi.gov\/documents\/2025-2026\/billengrossed\/House\/pdf\/2025-HEBH-5197.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">stipulates<\/a> that Michigan ballot question committees &ldquo;shall not knowingly or willfully receive, solicit, or accept contributions from a foreign national, whether directly or indirectly.&rdquo; These committees are further required to obtain &ldquo;affirmation&rdquo; from any person who donates to the campaign that he or she &ldquo;is not a foreign national and has not knowingly or willfully received, solicited, or accepted more than $100,000.00 in aggregate from foreign nationals in the 4 years immediately preceding the date of the contribution.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Ballot question committees who discover that a donor meets the bill&rsquo;s criteria are ordered to &ldquo;return&rdquo; such contributions &ldquo;not later than 30 business days&rdquo; after receiving it. Those who violate the provision will be &ldquo;subject to a civil fine of not more than double the amount of the undisclosed contribution.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>The measure includes additional language explicitly prohibiting foreign nationals from making &ldquo;a contribution, independent expenditure, or expenditure to promote or defeat a ballot question or to qualify a question for placement on the ballot.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>HB 5197 now heads to Michigan&rsquo;s Democrat-run Senate for consideration.<\/p>\n<p>Foreign money in Michigan elections has become a persistent problem in <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >recent election cycles &#038;mdash<\/a>; in no small part thanks to <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/hansjorg-wyss\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Hansjorg Wyss<\/a>.  <\/p>\n<p>A left-wing Swiss national, Wyss has regularly interfered in American elections via his <a href=\"https:\/\/www.influencewatch.org\/non-profit\/berger-action-fund\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Berger Action Fund<\/a>, which has <a href=\"https:\/\/americansforpublictrust.org\/reports\/sixteen-thirty-fund-cumulative-spending-on-ballot-issue-campaigns\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">pumped millions of dollars<\/a> into the U.S.-based <a href=\"https:\/\/www.influencewatch.org\/non-profit\/sixteen-thirty-fund\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Sixteen Thirty Fund<\/a>. The latter is a leftist advocacy group and part of the recently re-acquisitioned left-wing <a href=\"https:\/\/www.influencewatch.org\/for-profit\/arabella-advisors\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Arabella Advisors<\/a> &ldquo;dark money&rdquo; network.<\/p>\n<p>According to a <a href=\"https:\/\/americansforpublictrust.org\/reports\/sixteen-thirty-fund-cumulative-spending-on-ballot-issue-campaigns\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">March 2025 report<\/a> by Americans for Public Trust, the Sixteen Thirty Fund has dumped upwards of $130 million into ballot initiative campaigns in 26 states since 2014, with Michigan being the group&rsquo;s top recipient ($33.5 million). In 2022, for example, the Sixteen Thirty Fund gave more than $6 million to the organization behind a successfully passed amendment to enshrine abortion into the Michigan Constitution, according to <a href=\"https:\/\/ballotpedia.org\/Michigan_Proposal_3,_Right_to_Reproductive_Freedom_Initiative_(2022)\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Ballotpedia<\/a>. <\/p>\n<p>Honest Elections Project Action Executive Director Jason Snead applauded the Michigan House&rsquo;s passage of the HB 5197 and &ldquo;urged&rdquo; the Senate to &ldquo;quickly take up&rdquo; and &ldquo;pass [this] critical&rdquo; bill.<\/p>\n<p>Michigan House Republicans&rsquo; passage of HB 5197 came days after their GOP counterparts in the Alabama House of Representatives approved their own bill (<a href=\"https:\/\/legiscan.com\/AL\/bill\/HB214\/2026\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">HB 214<\/a>) to ban foreign nationals from &ldquo;directly or indirectly&rdquo; contributing to state ballot campaigns. Similar to Michigan, the measure passed with overwhelming support and now heads to the Alabama Senate for further consideration.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Alabama&rsquo;s hardworking men and women deserve elections that are funded honestly and transparently,&rdquo; Alabama Secretary of State Wes Allen said in a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sos.alabama.gov\/newsroom\/secretary-state-wes-allen-praises-al-house-passage-hb-214-foreign-influence-has-no-place\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">statement<\/a>. &ldquo;I am proud to see the Alabama House take action to protect the Alabama elections process from improper foreign influence.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p><em>For more election news and updates, visit&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/electionbriefing.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">electionbriefing.com<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p>\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\">\n<div class=\"article-author-description fst-italic\">      Shawn Fleetwood is a staff writer for The Federalist and a graduate of the University of Mary Washington. He is a co-recipient of the 2025 Dao Prize for Excellence in Investigative Journalism. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including RealClearPolitics and RealClearHealth. Follow him on Twitter @ShawnFleetwood<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-author mt-30 mt-sm-60 pt-30 bdr-top-bold-black\">\n<div class=\"row g-0 align-items-center\">\n<div class=\"col-12 col-md-6\">\n<div class=\"article-author-profile d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center justify-content-md-start\">\n<div class=\"article-author-details\">\n<div class=\"label-md\">Shawn Fleetwood<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-author-twitter label-sm d-flex align-items-center mt-10\">             <i class=\"mdi mdi-twitter me-5\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>             <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Visit on Twitter<\/span>            <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ShawnFleetwood\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"text-decoration-none\">@ShawnFleetwood<\/a>           <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"col-12 col-md-6 d-flex justify-content-center justify-content-md-end mt-15 mt-md-0\">        <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/author\/shawnfleetwood\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">More Articles<\/a>     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"article-tags bdr-top-black mt-30 mt-sm-60 pt-15 pt-md-45\">\n<ul class=\"list-unstyled d-flex flex-wrap align-items-center mb-0 mx-n10 p-0\">\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/alabama\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">Alabama<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/ballot-initiatives\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">ballot initiatives<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/elections\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">Elections<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/foreign-interference\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">foreign interference<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/foreign-money\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">foreign money<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/hansjorg-wyss\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">Hansjorg Wyss<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/michigan\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">Michigan<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"mt-10 mx-10\"><a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/sixteen-thirty-fund\/\" class=\"btn btn-black btn-small\">Sixteen Thirty Fund<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>MI and AL GOPs curb foreign dark money<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":539,"featured_media":2565948,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Money.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[50871,33926,38334,40307,4601],"class_list":["post-2565947","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-alabama-2","tag-campaign-finance","tag-election-reform","tag-foreign-money","tag-michigan"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Money.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2565947","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\/539"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2565947"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2565947\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2565956,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2565947\/revisions\/2565956"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2565948"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2565947"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2565947"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2565947"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}