The media has focused on Herschel Walker’s past failings, but Sen. Raphael Warnock’s history, which includes allegations of domestic violence and abuse at a camp for children, has mostly escaped scrutiny. It’s not surprising, given the fact that Democrats are often given a pass. However, another Warnock scandal has surfaced, and Politico is reporting about it.
Warnock allegedly used campaign funds to fight a suit over an issue first raised in 2019, before he became a senator.
Senator Raphael Warnock (D.Ga.), used campaign money for legal expenses in a lawsuit relating his time as a minister to the church. These transactions raise questions about whether federal rules govern the personal use of campaign funds.
Melvin Robertson of Atlanta filed the case in 2019. It involved bizarre and seemingly unfounded allegations against Warnock dating back to 2005 when he was a pastor. The case was dismissed in Georgia by a federal court judge without serving any defendants.
Robertson filed a second lawsuit in April 2021. He outlined the same allegations against Warnock and also sued Ebenezer Baptist Church. Ebenezer is where Robertson has served as senior pastor for many years.
Warnock was still serving as a senator at the time. He also enlisted the help of Elias Law Group’s campaign lawyers to represent him, as well as Krevolin & Horst in Atlanta, which supported ELG.
It is illegal to use campaign funds to defend a lawsuit against someone who isn’t running for office or is a candidate. The first lawsuit was filed in 2019 before Warnock ran for Senate. The second lawsuit in 2021 did not have any connection to Warnock’s political activities (the allegations date back to 2005-2008). Therefore, the move to pay Marc Elias’ grifting group, the Elias Law Group, appears illegal.
The report points out that the excuses given for not using the funds aren’t convincing. Warnock has used past examples to justify the expense, but these were all while Warnock was in office. The senator from Georgia is trying to extend the standard beyond what it was used in the past.
Will anything ever happen to Warnock? You shouldn’t be surprised. When a Republican is involved in campaign finance laws, they are very serious. If it is a Democrat, violations can be ignored or settled in civil court. Even Politico’s report, which contains some very troubling facts, attempts to minimize the damage. It even calls the allegations in the lawsuit “baseless”, despite not providing any evidence.
Warnock would face immense media pressure if this were a Republican. The story is not being covered by mainstream media outlets. This will largely be ignored because Warnock, a Democrat, is involved. Walker should still do his best to bring the matter home. Warnock is corrupt, vulnerable, and has many skeletons in his closet. It is time to get dirty and sling some.
