George Soros bankrolling Dem lawsuits

George Soros, the billionaire philanthropist prominently involved in politics for the past decade, is funding Democratic lawsuits against voting laws in several states.

Soros is prepared to spend at least $5 million on efforts to challenge voting rules that have been enacted in recent years, his political adviser told The New York Times.

{mosads}The adviser, Michael Vachon, said Soros is supporting lawsuits filed in Ohio and Wisconsin last month, and another in North Carolina. Lawsuits could also be filed in Georgia, Nevada and Virginia, among other states.

Among the states publicly identified, Ohio, Wisconsin and Virginia are key swing states. Proponents of the recently enacted laws say they are intended to prevent voter fraud.

Clients for the Democratic lawyer leading the effort, Marc Elias, include four big Democratic Party committees and Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign, according to the Times.

Clinton, the current 2016 Democratic front-runner, bashed potential GOP rivals during a speech in Texas on Thursday. 

“It is disingenuous to suggest that these laws are meant to protect against voter fraud, which is nearly nonexistent,” Vachon told the Times. 

“Clearly they are meant to give Republicans a political advantage on Election Day,” he added.

Soros has not yet said whether he will donate to a super-PAC supporting Clinton, his adviser told the Times. He donated millions in efforts against former President George W. Bush’s reelection in 2004, and for President Obama’s campaigns.