Nashville Standard

United States Senator Bill Hagerty, along with his colleagues, has introduced the Preventing Foreign Interference in American Elections Act in an effort to safeguard American democracy from foreign influence. The legislation aims to prevent foreign nationals from improperly influencing American elections.

Senator Hagerty highlighted the need for this legislation by pointing out the significant efforts of a foreign billionaire named Hansjorg Wyss to influence American elections through a web of intermediaries. He emphasized the importance of modernizing and closing loopholes in the current ban on foreign-national involvement in American elections.

Senator Marsha Blackburn expressed the importance of ensuring that American elections remain free from foreign influence, stating, "Foreign interference in the country’s elections process threatens the democracy at the heart of our nation."

Senator Ted Budd echoed these sentiments, emphasizing that foreign nationals should not be allowed to tip the scales in U.S. elections in any way. He added, "Restoring institutional trust in our elections is one of the most important issues we face, and stopping foreign influence is a significant concern."

Senator Ted Cruz condemned the influx of foreign money into American elections, stating, "American elections are not for sale to foreign interests." He stressed the need for guardrails to protect the integrity of the electoral process.

Senator Cynthia Lummis reiterated the importance of safeguarding American elections from foreign interference, emphasizing that elections should be decided by the American people, not foreign nationals.

Senator Roger Marshall highlighted the need to ensure that only Americans participate in electoral processes, emphasizing the importance of protecting the integrity of elections from foreign actors.

Caitlin Sutherland, Executive Director of Americans for Public Trust, supported the legislation, stating, "Our report reveals that Sixteen Thirty Fund is acting as a conduit for massive amounts of money not only from a foreign billionaire, but from one with an expressed goal of reshaping U.S. politics."

Jason Snead, Executive Director of Honest Elections Project, praised Senator Hagerty's effort to close the foreign money loophole in American politics, emphasizing the need to protect election integrity by keeping foreign money out of American elections.

Ryan Walker, Executive Vice President of Heritage Action, emphasized the importance of securing and inspiring trust in the American electoral system, stating, "Foreign billionaires should not be allowed to meddle in our elections—period."

The Preventing Foreign Interference in American Elections Act aims to address these concerns and ensure that American elections remain free from foreign influence.