In the leadup to a Manhattan grand jury’s choice to arraign former President Donald Trump, some conservatives linked the examination to billionaire George Soros, a regular target of conspiracy theorists.
Soros, a 92-year-old Hungarian-American who is worth an approximated $8.5 billion, is understood for his contributions to progressive companies and liberal triggers. But some Republicans are mischaracterizing a contribution he made to a not-for-profit advocacy group that supported Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg in the 2021 election.
“Just Out: District Attorney Alvin Bragg got in EXCESS OF ONE MILLION DOLLARS from Radical Left Enemy of ‘TRUMP,’ George Soros,” checksout a March 20 Truth Social post from Trump.
After Trump was arraigned, he composed in a March 30 declaration that Bragg was “handpicked and moneyed by George Soros.”
Steven Cheung, Trump’s representative, referred USA TODAY to posts from the Washington Examiner, Daily Mail and New York Post thatall referral the $1 million contribution.
New York Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik tweeted that Bragg “took one million dollars” from Soros, and previous Secretary of State Mike Pompeo referred to Bragg in a tweet as a “Soros-funded districtattorney.”
Similar declares have spread on Facebook and Instagram as users effort to paint the Manhattan probe as politically encouraged.
But these assertions all overemphasize the connection inbetween Soros and Bragg.
Soros did not straight contribute to Bragg, and a third-party group Soros contributed to likewise didn’t make direct contributions, deciding rather for an independent expense project.
Michael Vachon, a Soros representative, informed USA TODAY in an email that Soros has neverever satisfied or spoken to Bragg.
“There hasactually been no contact inbetween the 2,” Vachon stated. “Neither George Soros nor Democracy PAC (which Soros contributes funds to) contributed to Alvin Bragg’s project for Manhattan district lawyer.”
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Color of Change contribution was independent of Soros
In 2019, Bragg revealed he would run for Manhattan district lawyer versus incumbent District Attorney Cyrus Vance, arguing that the justice system “criminalizes hardship.” Bragg stated he would have “one requirement of justice for all” if chosen.
Color of Change, a not-for-profit civil rights advocacy group, promised to invest $1 million supporting Bragg in May 2021 through direct mail efforts and field project work, according to a press release.
Less than a week after the promise from Color of Change was revealed, Soros contributed $1 million to Color of Change’s political action committee. However, these funds were not allocated for Bragg, according to Vachon.
Earmarked contributions are direct financial contributions to a prospect’s project made through an intermediate political committee and are thoughtabout to be a contribution both from the initial donor and the intermediate political committee, according to Vito Pitta, a project financing specialist and co-managing partner at Pitta LLP.
Color of Change President Rashad Robinson informed CNN the group ultimately invested a little over $500,000 in assistance of Bragg. The PAC stoppedbriefly its costs on Bragg after hearing about an unproven claims worrying Bragg that the company couldn’t examine at the time, according to Robinson.
Color of Change informed USA TODAY its choices who to assistance are not identified straight by donors.
“Color Of Change PAC has lotsof funders who invest in our broad technique to