New York Dem candidate's salary paid by Soros-backed dark money network: "Incredibly problematic"

A top Democratic House recruit received a salary of tens of thousands of dollars from a left-wing dark money group heavily funded by George Soros' political empire, according to Planet Chronicle Digital.

Laura Gillen, a town supervisor in Hempstead, Long Island, received a $40,000 "fellow" salary from Our American Future Foundation (OAFF) in 2023, according to her financial disclosures. OAFF and its sister nonprofit, Our American Future Action, provide financial assistance to individuals, mainly Democrats, who plan to run for office in the future.

The Open Society Action Fund, an umbrella group founded by Soros, has donated over $18 million to Our American Future Action for non-partisan policy advocacy and civic engagement.

Our American Future Foundation's "direct controlling entity" is revealed through tax filings.

The Jennifer and Jonathan Allan Soros Foundation provided undisclosed funding to Our American Future Foundation last year, according to tax filings.

This year, Jonathan and Jennifer Soros directly donated $3,300 each to Gillen's campaign, while Robert Soros donated $2,900 to Gillen's unsuccessful 2022 campaign to unseat Republican Rep. Anthony D'Esposito.

According to Caitlin Sutherland, executive director of Americans for Public Trust, George Soros' practice of funding candidates through a fellowship program is problematic.

"If elected to Congress, Laura Gillen, who claims to run on ethics and transparency, will be backed by a Soros group that supports open borders, anti-police measures, and radical energy policies. This raises important questions about who Gillen will ultimately answer to as a congresswoman."

Soros funding for her campaign has been claimed by Gillen to be the cause of "antisemitic violence."

D'Esposito has been accused of using an antisemitic trope by Rep. Dan Goldman, a fellow New York Democrat, who is challenging him again this cycle.

Since last year, organizations backed by Soros' groups have been heavily funded and have been involved in antisemitic protests aimed at delegitimizing Israel and stopping U.S. support for its military campaign against Hamas and Hezbollah.

The Open Society Action Fund received $18,055,000 in funding for Our American Future Action, which was scheduled to last for 19 months, starting in 2023. Tax filings show that the Jonathan and Jennifer Alan Soros Foundation made a donation in the same year, the same year Gillen received her fellowship salary.

The fellowship program offers financial assistance to Democrats aspiring to become political candidates, covering their basic living expenses as they concentrate on their future campaigns.

The Washington Examiner reports that several Democratic candidates running in competitive 2024 contests have received funding from the group, including California's Will Rollins, Nebraska's Tony Vargas, Arizona's Kirsten Engel, and New York's Josh Riley.

In March, the Examiner reported that the nonprofit watchdog group Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust (FACT) filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission accusing OAFF of violating federal law by making payments to future House candidates. As a 501(c)3 nonprofit, OAFF is prohibited from engaging in political activity. However, FACT claimed that its payments to eventual candidates were intended to further their political ambitions.

"The fellowship's purpose, as described by its founder, was to provide financial assistance to unsuccessful or prospective candidates for personal expenses during the brief period before they could file to run for another office. This ties the fellowship directly to federal candidacy and not to independent employment. Any claim to the contrary would be difficult to believe."

Throughout the 2024 cycle, Soros has invested millions of dollars into various groups and committees supporting Democrats. His two super PACs, Democracy PAC and Democracy PAC II, have already contributed a combined total of $53 million to left-wing organizations, according to Federal Election Commission records.

Recently, the League of Conservation Voters Victory Fund received $500,000 from Soros' Democracy PAC, which was used to support Gillen's candidacy through digital production, ad buys, and other expenses. The group also backed other Democrats, including Kamala Harris, during this time.

The Open Society Foundation, Our American Future Foundation, and Gillen's campaign did not promptly respond to Planet Chronicle Digital's inquiries for comment.