Montana Sen. Jon Tester (D) accepted donations from a woman who has been deceased for several months, according to donation filings from the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
Filings from the FEC show that Tester accepted two $50 donations from “Barbara McGowan,” whose occupation is listed as being “Deceased As Of July 17,” the New York Post first reported.
One donation was listed as having been made on July 17, 2024, for $50, while another donation was listed as having been made on September 20, 2024, according to FEC records.
McGowan’s obituary described her as having been a “force of nature,” born on August 11, 1940, and died on July 17, 2024:
A Force of Nature. August 11, 1940-July 17, 2024. Barbara Anne Kilbride grew up on Lake Lorraine in Indian Orchard, Massachusetts, surrounded by aunts, uncles, cousins, her proud parents Everette and Irene Kilbride, her beautiful studious older sister Judy and her parter-in-crime little brother Ted. Many adventures were had on that lake and with her family, trolling the waters of New England.
The obituary notes that McGowan moved to Bozeman, Montana, in 2007 “to be near” her daughter, son-in-law, and grandchildren.
“In recent days, ActBlue has been accused of stealing identities to funnel money to Democrats,” National Republican Senatorial Committee communications director Mike Berg said in a statement. “Now, they are funneling donations from dead people to Jon Tester. Something very shady is going on here.”
Tester is currently in a heated senatorial race against Montana Republican Senate candidate Tim Sheehy.
Breitbart News’s Bradley Jaye reported that a New York Times/Siena Research Poll and a Public Opinion Strategies survey found that Sheehy was leading Tester in the Senate race.
The New York Times/Siena Research Poll found that Sheehy was leading with 52 percent of support, while Tester had 44 percent. The Public Opinion Strategies survey found that Sheehy was leading Tester, 51 percent to 45 percent.