Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has been accused of wielding his political power to help his 26-year-old son-in-law get elected to his former congressional seat in Wisconsin, allegedly by helping secure donations from those with financial interests in transportation.
Michael Alfonso, a first-time candidate who previously worked in construction and podcasting, has also secured the endorsement of President Donald Trump, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson and Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, among others.
Alfonso has received more than $50,000 in donations, many from donors with transportation interests, ProPublica reported earlier this year. Duffy transferred $1 million in remaining funds from his own congressional account to Alfonso’s super PAC, Axios reported Wednesday.
Some Wisconsin voters are now raising questions about whether Duffy is overextending his influence to ensure his son-in-law wins his former seat in Wisconsin’s 7th congressional district.
“[Duffy] is exploiting his Cabinet position and fame to influence an election and hand one of the nation’s highest offices to his unqualified 26-year-old son-in-law,” Meg Ellefson, a Wisconsin-based podcaster, told Axios.
Nathaniel Sizemore, a spokesperson for Duffy, said the secretary was supporting his son-in-law in his “personal capacity,” and that Duffy “uses the power of the [Department of Transportation] to execute on the president’s ambitious transportation agenda. That’s it.”
“Before attending any event, career ethics officials at [US Department of Transportation] screen these events, review the hosts, advise on attendees, and provide recommendations that Secretary Duffy follows. These processes and rules have existed for decades. Whether it’s installing a brand-new air traffic control system, transforming Penn Station, kicking dangerous truck drivers off the roads, or making cars more affordable again,” Sizemore said.
After the White House froze billions in federal funding for the Hudson Tunnel Project in October, lobbyists from Venture Government Strategies with an interest in the tunnel donated $2,000 to Alfonso’s campaign in December and March, ProPublica reported. Patrick Goddard, the president of Brightline, a high-speed train service in Florida, donated $1,000 to Alfonso in March.
The Independent has asked Brightline, Venture Government Strategies and the Alfonso campaign. for comment.
Duffy must comply with the Hatch Act, which restricts government officials from participating in political activity, but he is allowed to campaign for his son-in-law in a personal capacity.
However, various incidents have caused concerns about how much Duffy may be involved in the campaign for Alfonso, who is married to Duffy’s daughter, Evita Duffy-Alfonso.
In November, Duffy flew to Alfonso’s first campaign event, despite a government shutdown at the time, which forced airports to cut back on air traffic.
In December, Duffy appeared as a special guest at Alfonso’s campaign fundraiser, which was also sponsored by the political action committee for Delta Air Lines.
In April, Republicans in Wisconsin complained that Alfonso had not attended debates, according to Wisconsin Right Now, a conservative news website.
“I think the rest of us have been showing up at debates to answer voters’ questions and, while we’ve been doing that, he (Alfonso), chose, at least this time, to attend a lobbyist event instead,” Kevin Hermening, a former Marine who is running for the same seat, told Wisconsin Right Now.
Tanner Hiller, the Iron County Republican chair, told the news outlet it was “an insult” to voters to avoid debates.
Hiller also raised concerns about Alfonso’s credentials, believing there are more qualified candidates.
“I started out in politics under Sean Duffy, walking in parades with his young children, knocking on doors for Sean Duffy. I have military experience. I’m a business owner. I’m looking at it like, there’s people just like me who have a helluva lot more qualifications to run,” Hiller told Wisconsin Right Now.
“I did want to give him a chance, which was part of the reason for the debate, but they just wanted nothing to do with it. I don’t think he can handle himself against the other candidates,” Hiller added.
Alfonso appears to be polling slightly ahead of other Republican competitors, according to an April survey conducted by TIPP. Wisconsin will hold its primary on August 11.
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