Coal miners PAC hacked by cyberthieves

Thieves targeting political committees are at it again, this time running off with nearly $40,000 from a political action committee supporting miners, according to a Raw Story review of federal records.

The United Mine Workers of America – Coal Miners PAC lost $37,000 because an unidentified thief “hacked” its bank account on Feb. 29, according to a filing with the Federal Election Commission.

The union’s membership ranges from coal miners to manufacturing workers to health care workers to corrections officers.

The PAC, which primarily supports Democrats, spent more than $488,000 between Jan. 1, 2023 and Feb. 29, 2024, according to the FEC. The PAC had just under $75,000 in cash through the end of February.

Corey Sanson, a spokesperson for the United Mine Workers of America, acknowledged Raw Story’s questions but did not provide a response by the time of publication.

Separately, a congressman who has pushed for legislation to enhance penalties for mail thieves, has recouped nearly $9,000 after his leadership PAC experienced check fraud.

Rep. Ken Calvert (R-CA)’s leadership PAC, Eureka Political Action Committee, was refunded $8,897.47 on Feb. 22 from an “unauthorized check,” according to a filing with the FEC.

Calvert’s PAC lost $9,900 last summer when a check was intercepted in the mail, Raw Story first reported.

“It is believed that a check was taken from the USPS and recreated and cashed to an unauthorized entity. The Committee does not have an internal bad actor, the situation was

managed immediately and all proper steps taken,” said Steve Martin, the treasurer for Eureka PAC, in a Nov. 30 report to the FEC.

Calvert’s congressional office did not respond to Raw Story’s request for comment, including to confirm if the February refund was related to the mail theft last year.

“We have changed mail practices for any checks over a certain threshold will be sent via FedEx and for those under the threshold, checks will be wrapped in paper so as to better disguise the content of the mail," Rebecca Keightley, Calvert’s chief of staff, told Raw Story in October.

Calvert reintroduced the Ensuring the Safety Our Mail Act last January. Robberies of letter carriers have skyrocketed by more than 500 percent between 2019 and 2022, at the same time the United States Postal Service has curtailed the use of its postal police officers, according to a Raw Story investigation.

“Mail-related check fraud is a rising problem," Keightley told Raw Story in October, calling for "stronger penalties in place for those breaking the law" and the need “to increase security of mail practices” by the United States Postal Service.

Political committee theft epidemic

Thieves just keep ripping off political fundraising committees month after month with no apparent end in sight. Over the past year, Raw Story reported that scammers stole millions of donor dollars combined from dozens of political campaign committees — which have experienced varying levels of success in recouping the stolen funds.

In February, a Texas Republican congressional candidate, Scott Armey, lost $25,013 through a “fraudulent transaction,” and another labor PAC, the Mason Tenders District Council of New York and Long Island PAC, lost more than $4,300 over the summer, Raw Story reported.

The Planned Parenthood of the Pacific Southwest PAC reported $14,156.25 in fraud over the course of December, Raw Story reported.

A thief nabbed a $3,000 check sent by a political committee led by former House Speaker Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA). The July 2023 check intended for a photographer was “stolen during the USPS mail process and fraudulently cashed,” Raw Story reported.

The American Israel Public Affairs Committee’s political action committee reported theft of nearly $4,700 due to fraudulent checks in December, and the Oregon Republican Party was the victim of a fake check scam last summer.

Last year, the FEC questioned the campaign of Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) about the fraudulent use of her campaign credit card by far-right agitator Milo Yiannopoulos, who purchased a 2024 campaign website domain for rapper-turned-2020 presidential candidate Ye, formerly Kanye West, using Greene’s donor dollars, Raw Story reported.

In May, Raw Story reported that the Managed Funds Association PAC was targeted more than 20 times between Jan. 1 and March 31, 2023, initially losing $147,000 in fraudulent check payments, although it appeared to have since recouped the money, according to filings with the FEC.

The Retired Americans PAC, a super PAC that supports Democrats, recouped more than $150,000 it lost in late 2022 after paying fraudulent bills sent to the committee, according to an April 21 letter to the FEC, Raw Story reported.

The FBI got involved when Sen. Jerry Moran (R-KS) was the victim of a cybertheft incident in late 2022 that initially cost his campaign $690,000.

Raw Story reported that other current and former Republican members of Congress targeted by thieves include Rep. Troy Nehls of Texas (his campaign lost $157,626), former Rep. John Katko of New York ($14,000), Rep. Neal Dunn of Florida ($10,855), Rep. Russell Fry of South Carolina ($2,607.98) and Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida ($362.04).

The Republican National Committee and Rep. Diana Harshbarger (R-TN) also experienced campaign cash thefts.

The problem isn’t unique to Republicans.

Last year, the Minnesota Democratic Party experienced check fraud. In November 2022, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s campaign fell victim to check fraud worth $10,085, Raw Story reported, and President Joe Biden’s 2020 Democratic presidential campaign committee lost at least $71,000, according to Business Insider.

One-time Democratic presidential candidate and congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard and West are among others who reported money stolen from their political accounts.

Other PACs losing campaign cash to thieves include the Business Industry Political Action Committee ($14,156), State Farm Insurance PAC ($12,220) and the International Franchise Association Franchising Political Action Committee ($2,500), Raw Story reported.

The political action committees of Google, National Association of Manufacturers, Consumer Technology Association, National Air Traffic Controllers Association, International Brotherhood of Teamsters, MoveOn.org, and law firms Akerman LLP and Blank Rome LLP have also experienced theft of various kinds, ranging from cyber theft to forgeries and check tampering, according to Business Insider.