The principal campaign committee of U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders identified 674 foreign nationals who contributed to his presidential campaign during a single month. The extremely high number of illegal donations occurred during March 2016. The names of each individual contributor (see below) is itemized in a Form 99 submitted to the Federal Election Commission on 14 June 2016 by the senator’s principal campaign committee.
Bernie 2016, the senator’s fundraising arm, will be required to refund all of these 674 donations.
A foreign national is not an American citizen or legal resident of the United States. Under federal law, these individuals are prohibited from contributing money or influencing elections in the U.S.
The FEC has spotted foreign donations given to Sanders’ campaign committee every month since he started his run for the presidency. What is alarming is that the number of foreign national contributions has increased rather than dropped since late 2015.
In the committee’s Quarterly Report covering October-December 2015, there were 106 identified foreign nationals. FEC reports from each succeeding month saw that number rise from 125 in January 2016 to 277 for February 2016.
The 674 contributors is a three-fold increase in actual individuals from the previous month. The total amount of these donations will be identified in the committee’s June Monthly Report.
|For a list of other campaign finance issues reported in this blog, click here.|
Below are the names of the 674 foreign nationals who made prohibited donations to Bernie Sanders during March 2016. This information is also publicly accessible at this link.
Form 999 – Part VII
The Committee did not receive confirmation of citizenship or residence status and therefore issued refunds earlier this month to the following donors. These refunds will be reflected in the Committee’s June Monthly Report.
- Abovyan,Minas
- Albrecht,John
- Alioto,Anthony
- Allen,Gwendolyn
- Allen,John
- Allin,Drusilla
- Arbel,Omer
- Aybar,Rodrigo
- Azmayesh-Fard,Seyed
- Barber,Alexander
- Barkley,Michael
- Barrett,Joan
- Beauchesne,Ryan
- Beaudin,Adam
- Bennett,Robert
- Bergmann,Barbara
- Berland,Jody
- Bidtnes,Imre
- Bjornsson,Edvard
- Blaison,Julia
- Bloom,Peter
- bodin,baltsar
- Booth di GiovanniHeather
- Braun,Lin
- Brink,Jason
- Broderick,Eli
- Brown,Richard
- Browne,Craig
- Bucholz,Laurel
- Buck,Douglas
- Burleigh,Tyler
- Carter,Luke
- Carter,Michael
- Cemper,Ron
- Champagne,Jean-Marc
- Claster,William
- Claude,Xavier
- Clausen,Malte
- Cohen,Mark
- Cooper,Daniel
- Cordero Resperger,Lourdes
- Cornland,Deborah
- Costanza,Michael
- Crandall,Mark
- Crichton,Michael
- Crispin,Malinda
- D??rst,Michael
- Day,Jeffrey
- Delaney,Alyne
- Di Sabatino,Peter
- Diamond,Daryl
- Dickie-Pellett,Eliz
- Diehl,Arne
- Dosseto,Anthony
- Druon,Emmanuel
- Dufour,Dorothy
- Durisko,Zachary
- Ekendahl,Mats
- Elder,Beverly
- Ellmann,Lucy
- Emerson,Lynn
- Esmail,Aleya
- felton,john
- Feng,Chelsea
- Fiedler,Ernie
- Fischer,Thomas
- Fiser,Aris
- Fitzgerald,Amy
- Fletcher,Lloyd
- Flint,Garry
- Florio,Joseph
- Forbes,Brian
- Forward,Richard
- Foss,Ted
- Foster,Adrian
- Frappier,Gaston
- Frieden,Vanessa
- Friedland,Robert
- Gat,Yoram
- George,Susan
- Goldfield,Barbara
- Good,Dan
- Goodman,Bradley
- Gorian,Stephen
- Gover,Ruth
- Grabosky,Peter
- Grace,william
- Graham,William
- Abovyan,Minas
- Abrams,Peter
- Grier,Timothy
- Albrecht,John
- Alioto,Anthony
- Allen,Daniel
- Gros,Catherine
- Allen,Gwendolyn
- Allen,John
- Guccione,Elizabeth
- Allin,Drusilla
- Andersen,Lauri
- Hahlen,Alfred
- Arbel,Omer
- Hailey,Stephen
- Auger,Claudia
- Aybar,Rodrigo
- Azmayesh-Fard,Seyed
- Barakzai,Reem
- Barber,Alexander
- Barkley,Michael
- Barrett,Joan
- Bashan,Erez
- Beauchesne,Ryan
- Hargett,Kenneth
- Beaudin,Adam
- Bejarano,Enrique
- Bellis,James
- Bennett,Robert
- Hayakawa,Peter
- Bergmann,Barbara
- Berland,Jody
- Bidrman,Amy
- Heffernan,Patrick
- Bidtnes,Imre
- Bienia-Friese,Barbara
- Hernandez,Ivan
- Bjornsson,Edvard
- Hershberg,Benjamin
- Black,Douglas
- Hester,Jeffry
- Black,Gordon
- Blaison,Julia
- Block,Brandon
- Hill,George
- Bloom,Laurie
- Bloom,Peter
- Hodge,Mark
- bodin,baltsar
- Hodgson,John
- Booth di GiovanniHeather
- Borgendale,David
- Holtzman,Harry
- Braun,Lin
- Brenner,Daniel
- Hull,Terence
- Brink,Jason
- Broderick,Eli
- Husain,Adnan
- Broman,Finn
- Brown,Richard
- Hyland,Sabine
- Browne,Craig
- Iverson,Kent
- Bucholz,Laurel
- Buck,Douglas
- Burk,Jesse
- Burke,Narayan
- Burleigh,Tyler
- Jones,Russell
- Busch,Earlene
- Jones,Zachary
- Byron,JM
- Kane,Barbara
- Cameron,Catherine
- Kang,Joanne
- Carlen,Ed
- Kaplowitz,David
- Carlson,Joyce
- Karger,Marianne
- Carter,Luke
- Carter,Michael
- Caves,Brian
- Cemper,Ron
- Kelly,Margaret
- Champagne,Jean-Marc
- Kent,Douglas
- Chang,Y
- Kenyon,Janis
- Charest,Stephen
- Kerwin,Kathleen
- Chiodo-Reidy,Jess
- Kessel,Jonah
- Claghorn,Peter
- Keyes,Gene
- Claster,William
- Claude,Xavier
- Kheir,Mohamed
- Clausen,Malte
- Coffey,Max
- Cohen,Mark
- Cohen,Steven
- Kirchner,Robert
- Cooper,Daniel
- Kline,Louis
- Copelin,David
- Cordero Resperger,Lourdes
- Klykken,Lars
- Cornland,Deborah
- Kneuper,James
- Costanza,Michael
- Koche,Robert
- Crandall,Mark
- Korda,Niki
- Crichton,Michael
- Kraybill,Christopher
- Crispin,Malinda
- D??rst,Michael
- Kuehn,Stephen
- Davis,Ronald
- Dawber,Fred
- Day,Jeffrey
- Lacy,Harley
- deVries,
- Lai,Godwin
- Decoursey,Gayl
- Laine,Chris
- Delaney,Alyne
- Laleg,Jill
- Delanoy,Kenneth
- Lam,Joshua
- Demperio,jaime
- Landrum,Theodore
- Di Sabatino,Peter
- Landrus,Gary
- Diamond,Daryl
- Lansell,Christopher
- Dickie-Pellett,Eliz
- Lansford,Thomas
- Diehl,Arne
- Dietzler,Jessica
- Larsen,Chris
- donald,elsie
- Lasko,Paul
- Doohan,Jediah
- Dosseto,Anthony
- Le GoaterGoater,
- Druon,Emmanuel
- Dufour,Dorothy
- Durisko,Zachary
- Edwards,Walter
- Lewis,Ian
- Ehrlich,Karl
- Lewy,Georges
- Ekendahl,Mats
- Elder,Beverly
- Ellmann,Lucy
- Litsios,Socrates
- Emberger,Marcy
- Emerson,Lynn
- Emmet,Thomas
- Loeckx,Marie
- Engle,Lilli
- Loomis,Karen
- Epstein,Nadav
- Lorentzen,Peter
- Esmail,Aleya
- Louey,Paul
- Farrington,Brittani
- felton,john
- Feng,Chelsea
- Luzzatto,Stefano
- Ferraro,Phil
- Lyons,Barbara
- Ferrin,Donald
- Maddux,Brooke
- Fiedler,Ernie
- Fischer,Thomas
- MAKHOUL,HABEEB
- Fiser,Aris
- Fitzgerald,Amy
- Maniscalco,Matthew
- Flagg,Robert
- Marcus,Yvonne
- Flannery,Mick
- Fletcher,Lloyd
- Martin,Lucinda
- Flint,Garry
- Flora,Steve
- Mayer,Charles
- Florio,Joseph
- Fogelman,Jay
- McCreery,John
- Forbes,Brian
- McDaniel,Robert
- Forward,Richard
- McDonough,Anne
- Foss,Ted
- Mcelhinney,ian
- Foster,Adrian
- McGrath,Martha
- Fountain,Diane
- Fowlow,Loraine
- McHaney,Markevin
- Frappier,Gaston
- McIntosh,Bonnie
- FRECHES,Pascal
- McIntosh,Sall
- Fried,Talia
- McKenzie,Judith
- Frieden,Vanessa
- Friedland,Robert
- McKinney,Steven
- Gallagher,Mark
- Gallup,Ben
- Gardner,Kimberley
- Gat,Yoram
- McVeigh,Alice
- George,Susan
- Meadows,Melissa
- Gher,Yonatan
- Meagher,Brendan
- Ghiai,Maryam
- Meagher,Liam
- Goddard,Nigel
- Goldberg,Theodore
- Mercugliano,Frank
- Golden,David
- Goldfield,Barbara
- Good,Dan
- Milovac-Carolina,Sanja
- Goodman,Bradley
- Gordon,Marty
- Gorian,Stephen
- Goudie,Cynthia
- Gover,Ruth
- Moore,Casey
- Grabosky,Peter
- Grace,william
- Morales,Jacqueline
- Graham,William
- Grasgruber-Kerl,Stefan
- Grier,Timothy
- Morris,John
- Grinnell,Robin
- Morris,Zee
- Grinstead,Charles
- Morrissey,Kelly
- Gros,Catherine
- Mosleh,Kari
- Guccione,Elizabeth
- Murray,Cheryl
- Gumienny,Lee
- Murray,Jack
- Hahlen,Alfred
- Murray,Leo
- Hailey,Stephen
- Hamblen,Nathan
- Nadal,Eric
- Hamilton,Elisabeth
- Hammer,Barbara
- Hammond,Matthew
- Nasr,Mounzer
- Hansen-MacDonald,Nick
- Nathan,George
- Hanson,Dorothea
- Nauta,Herma
- Hargett,Kenneth
- Nefstead,Matthew
- Hassol,Roger
- Neighbors,Jerry
- Hawk,Skyler
- Nesseldreher,Josh
- Hayward,Kate
- Newton,Robert
- Hazell,Rebecca
- Nicholas,Catherine
- Heffernan,Patrick
- Higgins,Craig
- Noach,Jessica
- Hill,George
- Hodgson,John
- Huddleston,Mark
- O’Kain,Karen
- Humphrey,Matthew
- O’Reilly,Kevin
- Husain,Adnan
- Ochs-Oliver,Diane
- Hyerle,William
- Olson,Nicole
- Johnson,Dudley
- opheim,zoe
- Jones,Russell
- Jones,Zachary
- Kane,Barbara
- Painter,John
- Kang,Joanne
- Pang,Cathy
- Katz,Carl
- Parazader,Stephen
- Kavalar,Martin
- Parker,Jeffrey
- Kelly,Margaret
- Partner,Nancy
- khadir,saideh
- Pastore,Christian
- Kheir,Mohamed
- Patterson,Margaret
- Khoury,George
- Killingly,Thomas
- Pearce,Anna
- Koche,Robert
- Pearlman,Patrick
- Korda,Niki
- Kraybill,Christopher
- Pelger,Amy
- Kwapisz,Myron
- Pereda,Jorge
- La FargeFarge,
- Lacy,Harley
- Lai,Godwin
- Pfister,Reto
- Laine,Chris
- Lansell,Christopher
- Pichat,Pierre
- Larsen,Chris
- Lavranos,Haralambos
- Pinchin,Allen
- Le GoaterGoater,
- Lee,Kenneth
- Piper,Jane
- Lewis,Ian
- Polaco,Jose
- Lewy,Georges
- Liberto,shelley
- Pollin-Galay,Hannah
- Lindner,Glenys
- Loeckx,Marie
- Precourt,corinne
- LuziSteiner,
- Madison,Kirk
- MAKHOUL,HABEEB
- Mallory,Rick
- Radmanesh,Rastin
- Maniscalco,Matthew
- Rand,Thomas
- Maripolsky,Louis
- Randall,Joshua
- Martin,Lucinda
- Reedy,Brian
- Mathiesen,Rasmus
- Regan,Jeannette
- Mayer,Charles
- Rego,Oliverio
- McDonough,Anne
- Reich,Deborah
- Mcelhinney,ian
- Reis,David
- McGrath,Martha
- Reiss,Charles
- McGuire,Mark
- Renninger,George
- McHaney,Markevin
- McIntosh,Sally
- McLeod,Susan
- McPherson,Bob
- McQuaite,Kim
- Riebau,Al
- McVeigh,Alice
- Riley,Christopher
- Meagher,Liam
- Mercugliano,Frank
- Milam,Kurt
- Miller,Brian
- Rosenberg,John
- Mondry,Nathan
- Rosenberg,Ivan
- Mont,Erik
- Rowe,Gord
- Moog,Claus
- Runting,Chantel
- Moore,Casey
- Sachs,Jonathan
- Morand,Dorothy
- Salehi,Mehrdad
- Moreno,Takeshh
- Morris,John
- Morris,Zee
- Murray,Cheryl
- Sato,Barbara
- Murray,Leo
- Saunders,Richard
- N.Zion,
- Savor,Verna
- Nadal,Eric
- Scheel,Carl
- Nanni,Guillermo
- Schinstine,Malcolm
- Nary,Paul
- Nathan,George
- Schotthoefer,Jens
- Nauta,Herma
- Schreiber,Patricia
- Nefstead,Matthew
- Schwartz,Julia
- Nicholas,Catherine
- Schwartzman,Paul
- Nichols,Brian
- Scott,Mark
- Noach,Jessica
- Scully,Mary-Frances
- Nordstrom,Darla
- O’Grady,Se??n
- Shalom,Chris
- O’Kain,Karen
- Shannon,Damien
- Olson,Nicole
- Ostermann,Dietrich
- Sheahan,Greg
- Painter,John
- Parazader,Stephen
- Shepard,Kenneth
- Partner,Nancy
- Patterson,Margaret
- Shrenzel,Victor
- Peck,Alex
- Pereda,Jorge
- Sidran,Maxine
- Peterson,Linn
- Siebert,Sophie
- Pfister,Marco
- Silkey,Mariabeth
- Pfister,Reto
- Silva,Anthony
- Picard,Charlotte
- Pichat,Pierre
- Picher,Pam
- Skaw,Danielle
- Pinchin,Allen
- Pinkerton,Evelyn
- Piper,Jane
- Smith,Jason
- Pollock,Sylvia
- Sneyd,Lauren
- Radmanesh,Rastin
- Rand,Thomas
- Randall,Joshua
- Solkin,James
- Rego,Oliverio
- Reis,David
- Sonerud,Frode
- Renninger,George
- Spiegelman,George
- Rice,Julie
- Spiegelman,Helen
- Richards,Beth
- St??mmer,Pierre
- Richer,Oliver
- Riebau,Al
- Steinberger,Cynthia
- Robinson,Bruce
- Rodriguez,Carolina
- Rohrmayer,Joshua
- Stephens,Daniel
- Rowe,Gord
- Runting,Chantel
- Stern,Joel
- Sachs,Jonathan
- Stone,Susan
- Salehi,Mehrdad
- Streuber,Georg
- Sammond,Nicholas
- Stroyman,Herschel
- Sargant,Murray
- Stukel,Therese
- Saunders,Richard
- Scheel,Carl
- Schlaff,Jonathan
- Sutton,Jennifer
- Schotthoefer,Jens
- Sverdrup,Harald
- Schreiber,Patricia
- Scott,Mark
- Swift,Susan
- Scully,Mary-Frances
- Shalom,Chris
- Shannon,Damien
- Thompson,Laurel
- Sharon,Ossie
- Thompson,linda
- Sheahan,Greg
- Shepard,Kenneth
- Tipperman,Mark
- Sherman,Kenneth
- Tobin,Mollie
- Shrenzel,Victor
- Shuler,Thomas
- Topa,George
- Silva,Anthony
- Torgeson,Julie
- Simmons,Craig
- Torretti,Rebecca
- Simmons,Daniel
- Smith,James
- Turrent,Cuauhtemoc
- Smith,Jason
- Ulus,Eda
- Sneyd,Lauren
- V GranthamMicaela
- Soenen,Thomas
- Van AremJohn
- Solkin,James
- Sonerud,Frode
- St??mmer,Pierre
- Van Der VilesMelissa
- Stein,Jonathan
- Van HeemstraMaria
- Stephens,Daniel
- Van Rooijen,Michael
- Stermann,Michel
- Streuber,Georg
- Vancoillie,Rik
- Stroyman,Herschel
- Stukel,Therese
- Verboom,Johanna
- Suchman,Lucy
- Vincelette,Randy
- SURCIN,Jean-Marc
- Sutton,Jennifer
- Volo,Karin
- Sverdrup,Harald
- Teoh,Ming
- Von Xylander,Cheryce
- Thompson,Laurel
- Walker,Joseph
- Thompson,Shawn
- Tobin,Mollie
- Ware,David
- Tokumitsu,Miya
- Wasserman,Nancy
- V GranthamMicaela
- Watkiss,David
- Van AremJohn
- Watson,Andrew
- Van der ValkLynn
- Van HeemstraMaria
- Westbrook,Russell
- Van Rooijen,Michael
- VAN WissenR.P.
- Vancoillie,Rik
- Vejarano,Beatriz
- Volo,Karin
- Whiting-OKeefe,Patricia
- Von Xylander,Cheryce
- Whitworth,Anthony
- Walls,Carol
- Wasserman,Nancy
- Watkiss,David
- Watson,Andrew
- Wilkins,Adam
- Westbrook,Russell
- Wilkinson,Veniese
- White,Daniel
- White,Michelle
- Willis,Puck
- Whitfield,Randolph
- Whiting-OKeefe,Patricia
- Winchell,Don
- Wiedemeier,Markus
- Windel,Aaron
- Wilkins,Adam
- Woiczik,Martin
- Wilkinson,Veniese
- Willis,Puck
- Wimberly,John
- Woiczik,Martin
- Woolworth,Frederick
- wright,henry
- Yu,Tina
- Young,Tracey
- Yu,Tina
- Zajano,Rachel
- Yulian,Rafael
- Zangas,Thanos
- Zimmerman,David
- Zuniga,Armando
GO BLINDLY 
My name is number 460 on your list. You should know that I was born in the United States and that I am a United States citizen which makes it perfectly legal for me to have contributed to the Bernie Sanders campaign. I ask that you promply remove my name from your list.
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Your name as a contributor to the Sanders campaign is public record. The information for this article comes directly from the Federal Elections Commission. If you are contesting your status as a foreign national, I suggest you contact the FEC and ask it to correct your status.
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just so you know, calling someone an illegal contributor implies that the contributor knew they were doing something illegal. be careful with your language. i’m on that list. i received a full refund from the sanders committee, and i don’t appreciate you labelling me as an illegal contributor. better qualified, i am an expat invited to contribute as a concerned US citizen. there…be responsible in your reporting. (p.s. 600+ isn’t a “whopping” number unless you’re writing about the number of STDs one person has contracted in their lifetime, or the number of times a single person has been struck by lightning–then “whopping” is probably appropriate, if not an understatement.)
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Talk to the FCC. I used its language.
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What I think is interesting is that this many people from OTHER COUNTRIES like Bernie so much! Whle I undrstand that they cannot contribute it is an honor to just say that they wanted to! Says a LOT about this wonderful man!
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Thank you for taking the time to dig into those million page long FEC letters and reports. Many of us really appreciate it.
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This just goes to show that people all over the world love Bernie Sanders and aren’t always aware of the laws of the land, realistically they were trying to help ALL Americans by donating to Bernie. How many foreign nationals donated to Clinton or Trump, your article fails to mention these numbers but surely you’ve checked into them as well!. What point are you trying to make by actually listing the names of these people? Shouldn’t their privacy be protected??
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You ask:
First, there are multiple points.
The Bernie Sanders campaign is accepting money from foreign nationals, knowing they are foreign nationals, and knowing it is ILLEGAL to accept the donations. That says quite a lot about Bernie Sanders.
The Sanders campaign is keeping these donations for at least three months while the FEC checks each and every one, issues a notice to Sanders camp, then waits for them to respond. During this time, the Sanders campaign is collecting interest off the donations as they sit in the campaign bank account. That is fraudulent activity.
This flim-flam is going on with the ex-candidate who rants and raves about “corrupt” practices in our government, making him a truly hypocritical and detestable individual.
Now as far as “privacy,” you get no such right. That’s why our campaign laws are designed for transparency. You and your Canadian friends cannot interfere in OUR election and get a free pass. And as far as people all over the world loving Bernie and wanting to “help” Americans, I reject that claim. We are the citizens who suffer the consequences of interference by Canadians, Australians, Germans, Swiss, Norwegians – not the citizens of these countries. You can sit up in Montreal or Toronto or Vancouver and watch from afar as Trump involves us in a nuclear catastrophe or implodes the world economy without suffering in the least. Your love of Bernie Sanders is interfering in our elections and especially, the Democratic Party. If your interference (social media rants, etc) causes a split in our party, and Trump becomes the next president, you will bear the burden. But then again, you won’t. Because, as I said, you’ll be watching from afar.
I publish the names because I have a right to do so, because our laws guarantee transparency, not secrecy, and because I want to identify that Canadian or German or citizen of another country trying to “help”, trying to influence our electorate, hoping to elevate Bernie into sainthood without the foggiest frame of reference, and insulting the Democratic Party’s nominee. I want to know who you are and call you out. I want to make you aware of your trespass in our election process, and to tell you to stay the hell out.
I hope that answers your question.
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These Canaduans don’t have a free press and they’re
a strange lot– oblivious to their atrocious practices and
policies with respect to baby seals, wolves, polar bears, wild horses and other wildlife, but they feel inclined to
meddle in U.S. elections. How devious and oddly
sinister. Let them re-direct Trudeau to improve their
own political future.
Better yet, let them absorb Sanders and his wretched
flock. Hell, yes!
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Essentially he has been lying about the type of support he was getting – Berne doesn’t walk the talk.I am a former Bern Supporter, but there’s no denying he lied about the support & took illegal contributions knowingly.
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They know a good candidate – clinton & trump are too scary and crazy. Bernie Or Bust!
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“They” are not American citizens. If they like a candidate, fine. But it is against the law for foreign citizens to interfere in the elections of our country.
But to take your argument a bit further, what if Putin or Khomeini or Kim Jong-un “liked” a candidate, and decided to funnel millions of dollars into that candidate’s campaign, essentially buying the next President of the United States? I assume that would be okay with you too. This is the kind of simplistic thought process that negates you as a well-informed voter. Do us all a favor and think.
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So you say, as usual with “opinion pieces” there is no proof presented…this is your opinion. When debate is lost, slander becomes the tool of the loser. Socrates
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You might engage in the act of reading once in awhile. It is a mind-blowing event. Just as an example, if you read past the headline of this post, which you undoubtedly did not, you’d see this sentence:
Now, if you wish to accuse the fund raising committee of Sanders of deceit, then by all means, do so.
America will be much improved when ignorant people such as yourself engage in the act of reading.
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Do these foreign nationals imagine they’re the framework of the
new political party or movement for which he’s shilling?
This public servant too, is a public nuisance.
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Thanks Grace for this comprehensive review.
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