UNITED STATES—On August 11 it was reported that Congressman Ted Lieu of California donated $50,000 out of his campaign donations to Stanford University. Using campaign funds for charity has raised a question of ethics for the Federal Election Commission. Lieu is serving his fourth term as a Congressman serving in California’s 33rd District.
There is documentation revealing two separate transactions equaling $50,000 from Lieu, one on June 29, 2018, and another on September 11, 2017, each for $25,000.
How is this even legal?
Sending campaign funds to @stanford .
CAMPAIGN FUNDS! Used to send donations to a college, not for campaigning.
That's the @tedlieu Democrats. Rules for thee, not for me. They nabbed wealthy Hollywood celebrities for doing something similar #bribary pic.twitter.com/JBU1Vhoxbj
— Anubis (@darealestAnubis) August 11, 2021
According to the FEC Schedule B form 3, “Campaign committees can give gifts to charity. The amount donated to a charitable organization cannot be used for purposes that personally benefit the candidate.”
Lieu is an alumnus of Stanford and one of his two children are now enrolled as a freshman for the class of 2025. He shared that he is an immigrant from Taiwan who is now a naturalized citizen of the United States.
The committee reports their charitable donation to the Mount Vernon Historical Society on Line 21 includes the organization’s address, date the donation was given, amount, and a clear purpose of disbursement, “Charitable Donation.”
Uh. This is very bizarre. The account that tweeted about @tedlieu making contributions to Stanford out of his campaign account – and Lieu’s son now attending Stanford – has been suspended. pic.twitter.com/49h1qlWHRI
— Luke Thompson (@ltthompso) August 11, 2021
Congressman Lieu did not comment about donations to his alma mater. Stanford has not acknowledged the donations received by the politician.
All negative comments regarding Congressman Lieu donating over $50,000 out of his Ted Lieu for Congress campaign funds have been censored and removed from social media. Remaining posts are in support of Lieu.