HuffPo is reporting that Beto's campaign claims the money was spent on people already in the US seeking asylum:Originally Posted by Doc Safari
(Emphasis mine.)A Project Veritas operative posing as an O’Rourke campaign worker secretly recorded other O’Rourke staffers talking about using prepaid campaign debit cards to buy food for asylum-seekers last week in Texas. The asylum-seekers were not part of the caravan ― they were already in Texas, apparently taking shelter in churches while the government processes their legal claims.
Nevertheless, the Cruz campaign insisted the senator’s question about “funding” the caravan is fair.
“Beto campaign staffers confirmed they are giving supplies to immigrants who have crossed the border illegally,” Cruz spokeswoman Catherine Frazier said in an email.
In fact, it’s not clear if those immigrants crossed the border illegally. It’s legal to come to the U.S. to seek asylum. It’s also legal to lodge an asylum claim after crossing the border without authorization. The immigrants in question had reportedly been dropped off at a bus station last week by federal authorities after they’d been processed by immigration officials.
Plus, the Federal Election Commission website says it’s legal for political campaigns to donate to charity. The O’Rourke campaign said it did nothing wrong, although the video’s release appeared to catch them off guard.
“Staff members took it upon themselves to use prepaid cards from one of our more than 700 field offices to buy baby wipes, diapers, water, fruit and granola bars, and donate them to a local humanitarian nonprofit named Annunciation House that helps mothers and children in the community,” O’Rourke spokesman Chris Evans said. “The value was under $300 and it will be appropriately reported to the FEC.”
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