The Guardian reported Friday that two young members of the Arizona GOP, posing as Communists and using fake names, one a Hispanic name and the other a Middle Eastern name, appear to have tried to set up Rep. Tom O’Halleran, a Democrat seeking a second term in Congress, by offering a cash donation claiming they were members of a college Communist group.
The two were discovered however and the O’Halleran camp returned the just under $40 in cash to the GOP office in Flagstaff where one of the two was outed. Staff at the Republican office were told that what they had done would be reported as it’s illegal to make false statements related to campaign donations.
The Guardian’s Ben Jacobs reported that two young guys who said their names were Jose Rosales and Ahmahd Sadia went to the O’Halleran campaign headquarters to sign up and give a donation, which amounted to around $39 in small bills and coins in a jar.
“Rosales” and “Sadia” were told they needed to fill out paperwork as part of the donation process. They then said they were members of the Northern Arizona University Communist party. And, they wanted a receipt. Told receipts were emailed, “Rosales” crossed out one email address on the paper and added another email address, which it was reported raised a red flag for campaign staff.
Later, O’Halleran campaign finance director Lindsay Coleman took the money and drove to GOP headquarters.
The video begins recording as Coleman enters the GOP office.
“Do you have two young Republican named Ahmad or Jose,” Coleman asks a person sitting a a desk.
“I don’t think so,” the individual says.
“OK, well I’m here because two young gentlemen …right here,” Coleman points as one of the guys, who is now identified as ‘Oscar,’ appears from a closed-door room.
Coleman goes on to say the person named Oscar, who said he was Jose Rosales, and the other young man, tried to make a donation to the O’Halleran campaign. Oscar disappears quickly into the room and closes the door.
“And Oscar who gave a donation under the name Jose, which I might also add is illegal to falsify contribution information to the FEC (Federal Elections Commission), made this donation of cash …”
She says she’s there to “return it and probably report this to the police …”
She calls out for Oscar: “Oscar, I have your cash.”
The man comes out of the room and takes the envelope. Coleman says he made the donation posing as a young man named Rosales from the Young Communists when in fact, he’s a member of the NAU Young Republicans.
She says, “I don’t know if you heard me but it’s illegal” to falsify information per federal elections law.
“So thank you for our support but we cannot accept it,” she says. Oscar says, “Ok.”
The Guardian reported Coleman said the other man is a GOP field organizer and his name is not Ahmahd Sadia.
The Arizona GOP did not respond to The Guardian’s request for comment.