Federal grand jury investigating top GOP fundraiser: report

A federal investigation is looking into former Republican National Committee (RNC) deputy finance chairman Elliott Broidy to evaluate whether he used his position as vice chairman of President Trump’s inaugural committee to forge business deals with foreign leaders, The Associated Press reported Monday. 

According to documents obtained by the AP and sources familiar with the matter, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Brooklyn recently sent a wide-ranging subpoena to Trump’s inaugural committee requesting records related to 20 individuals and businesses with connections to Broidy, including the president of Angola and two Romanian politicians.

The investigation appears separate from an inquiry by Manhattan federal prosecutors into whether foreign leaders illegally contributed to the $107 million the inaugural committee, AP reports. The Wall Street Journal reported in June that federal prosecutors are investigating if Broidy improperly used his position to offer access to Trump’s inaugural team.{mosads}

According to AP, prosecutors are investigating if Broidy violated the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act by exploiting access to Trump. 

Broidy’s attorneys denied the allegations made about Broidy and his global security firm Circinus in a statement to the AP. His attorneys said at no point did Broidy or his firm have a contract or exchange money with “any Romanian government agency, proxy or agent.” 

Broidy’s attorneys said Circinus did reach an agreement with Angola in 2016, but with no connection to the inauguration for Broidy’s role on the inaugural committee, according to AP. 

Brooklyn federal prosecutors and the inaugural committee declined to comment to the AP on the grand jury proceedings.

People familiar with the matter told the AP the committee complied with the subpoena issued in April and said the FBI interviewed at least one of Broidy’s associates named in the subpoena. 

The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Brooklyn declined to comment to the Hill.

Broidy resigned from the RNC last year when it was revealed he paid a woman $1.6 million after she became pregnant with his child.

A former Playboy model also accused him of physical abuse late last year. He has denied those allegations.