Republicans are eerily silent after billionaire Robert Brockman, a prolific donor to GOP groups and causes, was charged with running the biggest tax fraud scheme in U.S. history.
Brockman, the former CEO of Ohio-based software company Reynolds & Reynolds, is accused of running a $2 billion tax fraud scheme, Department of Justice officials said.
Federal prosecutors said in October that the businessman had hidden capital gains income for more than 20 years through various offshore entities in Bermuda and Nevis and secret bank accounts, CBNC reports.
Federal Election Commission records show that Brockman donated more than $80,000 to the National Republican Congressional Committee, the political campaign organization for House Republicans. Brockman also gave more than $100,000 to entities linked to House Republicans, the report says, adding that Republicans did not report contributions. The GOP went on to lose the House to the Democrats, with Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., becoming speaker.
“The FEC records showing the NRCC contributions do not list Reynolds & Reynolds as Brockman’s employer, but the Texas address matches the location listed on other contributions Brockman has made. The mailing address is also listed on a business registration form for Reynolds & Reynolds reviewed by CNBC. The form, signed in April before Brockman was charged, lists him as the CEO,” the report says.
The Wall Street Journal reported this week that Brockman and his legal team are claiming that the 79-year-old billionaire can’t be tried because he is suffering from dementia and is unable to take part in his own defense. Prosecutors reportedly responded that he could be faking it and that a hearing on Brockman’s competency is set to take place in June.
Democrats are already pouncing on the lack of public GOP pushback against Brockman after he funded some of their campaigns.
American Bridge, a Democratic super PAC that specializes in opposition research and first flagged the Brockman contributions to CNBC, used the episode to blast the GOP.
“Congressional Republicans spent the last four years gutting IRS enforcement and cutting taxes for billionaires while being bankrolled by the biggest tax cheat in American history,” Max Steele, an American Bridge spokesman, told CNBC. “While they should return or donate the money, we know they won’t. After all, how can a party blindly loyal to Donald Trump afford to oppose billionaires committing tax fraud?”
All of the House seats are up for grabs in the 2022 midterms, while at least 34 Senate seats are at stake, according to the Cook Political Report. More than two dozen Democratic and Republicans House seats are marked as toss-ups.
Cook considers the two open Republican Senate seats in Pennsylvania and North Carolina toss-ups. The site does not list any Democratic Senate seats as toss-ups, although seats in swing states Arizona and Georgia are marked as “lean Democrat.”
Brockman joins the list of Republican donors marred by legal troubles. John Childs, who was charged with soliciting prostitution in Florida, has continued to fund Republican campaigns.
Records show that in 2020 alone Childs gave more than $3 million to Republican causes including committees linked to former President Donald Trump. There are no records showing those donations have been returned either.
GOP leaders have kept quiet on the federal charges against Brockman and an attorney for the billionaire did not respond to a request for comment.
