The Federal Bureau of Investigation(FBI) has officially charged Republican Nebraska Rep. Jeff Fortenberry with lying to the authorities. Despite the FBI’s now highly politicized reputation the Republican representative worked with them out of good faith and has now been repaid with an official investigation that will uproot his life and could cost him his Congressional career.

It began with an inquiry from the FBI into $180,000 in funds donated from Nigerian Billionaire Gilbert Chagoury to multiple political campaigns. Jeff Fortenberry’s campaign was among those targeted and received $30,000 in donations at a 2016 event in Los Angeles. United States election officials are not allowed to accept money from foreign nationals. 

However, the Republican congressman has remained adamant that he had no knowledge of the donation and was informed by a co-host of the event two years later that the donations were made. According to a statement from his wife, when he was approached by the FBI regarding the campaign funds he helped him and is now shocked he’s been charged.

“The agents said they needed his help. Jeff assumed he was one federal official helping other federal officials in the cause of justice. His instinct, as yours would be, was to help. So, he talked to them,” wrote Celeste Fortenberry.

The real issue at hand isn’t simply that Rep. Fortenberry has been charged with one count of scheming to conceal material facts and two counts of making false statements to federal investigators. It gives the perception that the FBI only seems to pay attention when it’s a powerful Republican.

As a result of the investigation, Rep. Fortenberry will have to step down from his seat on the House Appropriations Committee while other representatives flout campaign finance laws and only get a slap on the wrist if that.

Ilhan Omar

Despite Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) paying her husband, Tim Mynett’s consulting firm over $2.5 million since the beginning of 2019, the “Squad” member has not faced scrutiny from the left or the FBI.

The consulting firm, E Street Group LLC, received ​​$1.6 million from the start of 2019 to July 22, 2020. Another $1.1 million was sent to the firm in the third quarter and $27,000 in the following weeks, according to the New York Post. 

Omar defended the flagrant conflict of interest, writing in a Twitter post, “We consulted with a top FEC campaign attorney to ensure there were no possible legal issues with our relationship.” She added, “We were told this is not uncommon and that no, there weren’t.”

Previously, Omar was ordered to pay back $3,500 and a $500 fine when she was a state representative for “improperly using campaign money for out-of-state travel,” according to the penalties from the Minnesota Campaign Finance Board reported by CNN.

Mark Zuckerberg 

 

The FBI had no issue looking the other way when Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg found loopholes to pour millions of dollars into U.S. elections to help Democrats, despite the obviously deceitful methods he used. 

According to Federal Elections Commission (FEC) officials Zuckerberg carefully orchestrated his attempt to influence elections by funneling more than $400 million to local races across the country. FEC officials characterized Zuckerberg’s money as a blatant violation of the equal treatment of voters as it clearly led to unequal opportunities to vote in different parts of a state. 

“My reaction is that this was a carefully orchestrated attempt to convert official government election offices into get-out-the-vote operations for one political party and to insert political operatives into election offices in order to influence and manipulate the outcome of the election,” said Hans von Spakovsky, a former Federal Election Commission member.

Has the FBI launched an investigation into the tech billionaire? Of course not.

Mitt Romney

 

Despite Rep. Fortenberry being embroiled in the scandal, the liberal media has not touched Sen. Mitt Romney, who also received illegal contributions tied to Chagoury to the tune of  $50,000, according to Open Secrets.

Will Romney, face criminal charges and being raked over the coals by the media like Fortenberry, or will the anti-Trump, extremely moderate senator continue to be praised by the establishment and keep his powerful seat in Washington? Time will tell if the rule of law will be equally applied to him or to Omar, Zuckerberg, and all others skirting the rules.