The contributions for Fung have come from elected officials who voted against certifying President Joe Biden’s election in 2020, including House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, House Minority Whip Steve Scalise, and Budget Chairman Jason Smith – who have each campaigned for Fung – as well as Republican National Committee Chair Elise Stefanik.
According to Magaziner’s campaign, PACs affiliated with members of Congress who voted against certifying Biden as president have contributed a total of $62,500 to Fung.
An additional $45,000 has come from other donors, including Frank Raposa of Cranston, who recently told The New York Times that he attended the Jan. 6, 2021 protest in Washington, D.C., but did not enter the Capitol. Raposa said he staged a fundraiser that brought in $25,000 for Fung. And $11,000 more came from PACs run by Republicans involved with a Texas lawsuit aimed at preventing four states from casting their electoral votes in 2020.
Fung’s campaign does not dispute having received these contributions.
However, Fung spokesman Steven Paiva said in a statement, “Seth Magaziner should be the last person talking about campaign donations considering the $800,000 he mysteriously received from his wealthy father, which almost certainly was in violation of campaign finance laws.”
Paiva said Fung has been consistent in citing President Joe Biden as the legitimately elected leader of the U.S. Fung has also blamed Biden and other Democrats for inflation and the high cost of living.
Magaziner’s campaign has said that he was able to loan himself $800,000 for his first run for general treasurer in 2014 thanks to a gift tax credit, and that this was in compliance with the law.
Fung has tried to distance himself from Trump, focusing on his desire to restore a centrist GOP voice from New England in the U.S. House, boosting the country’s energy independence, and trying to tame inflation.
Magaziner has pointed to how Fung would support McCarthy as speaker – and how, he said, the Republican majority in Congress supports policies contrary to Rhode Islanders’ interests. He has described election deniers as a threat to democracy.
Millions of dollars have been spent in support of the campaigns by Fung and Magaziner, with chunks of that coming from congressional PACs on both sides of the aisle.
The Second District seat is open since U.S. Rep. Jim Langevin, a Democrat first elected in 2000, is not seeking re-election. Voters will decide Langevin’s successor in an election ending Tuesday.
Ian Donnis can be reached at idonnis@ripr.org. Follow him on Twitter @IanDon
