A pro-Trump challenger to Republican Rep. John Moolenaar of Michigan is violating a federal law by hiding his personal finances: ‘That’s none of the federal government’s business’

• Tom Norton is running in a Republican primary against Rep. John Moolenaar of Michigan.
• Norton is refusing to disclose information about his personal finances, which is against a federal law.
• It comes as Congress is debating stricter rules on lawmakers' personal finances.

Tom Norton, a pro-Donald Trump congressional candidate mounting a Republican primary challenge to Rep. John Moolenaar of Michigan, is refusing to file a federally-mandated personal financial disclosure.

Norton, a member of the Army National Guard and veteran of the war in Afghanistan, lists "fiscal responsibility" among his top campaign issues. He argues that "Washington has become a political swamp that sucks energy and money from everyday people around the country." 

But when asked why he hadn't yet filed his personal financial disclosures, which are designed to prevent conflicts of interest and increase public accountability, Norton told Insider: "That's none of the federal government's business."

Federal law says otherwise. 

—Tom Norton For Congress (MI-02) (@ForNorton) November 10, 2021

 

A congressional candidate must file his or her financial disclosure, which details personal investments, debts, employment, and side income, shortly after raising or spending $5,000 in campaign cash, according to House ethics guidelines. 

Norton easily surpassed that threshold early last year, raising $113,239 by the end of 2021, according to Federal Election Commission records. 

The standard, US House-issued fine for a late personal financial disclosure filing is $200, payable to the US Treasury. 

But a candidate who "knowingly and willfully falsifies a statement or fails to file a statement" may subject himself to investigation by the Department of Justice. 

While such investigations are rare, the maximum civil penalty for such an offense is $66,190 while the maximum criminal penalty is one year in federal prison plus a fine of up to the same amount, according to the federal Ethics in Government Act. 

Separately, federal law, as amended by the False Statements Accountability Act of 1996, "provides for a fine of up to $250,000 and/or imprisonment for up to five years for knowingly and willfully making any materially false, fictitious, or fraudulent statement or representation, or falsifying, concealing, or covering up a material fact" in a filing covered by the Ethics in Government Act.

A congressional candidate who's refusing to file a personal financial disclosure "would find themselves in violation of the Ethics In Government Act," said Jordan Libowitz, communications director for nonpartisan government watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington.  

While the federal government could conceivably pursue criminal penalties against a candidate for not filing, "it is much more likely that the DOJ could, and should, pursue civil penalties," Libowitz said. 

Norton's refusal to publicly reveal his personal finances follow publication of Insider's "Conflicted Congress" project, which found that 57 members of Congress, and at least 182 senior congressional aides, have in recent months violated the federal Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge Act of 2012 with late or missing financial disclosures. 

'Not in the eyes of Big Brother'

Norton's challenge to Moolenaar, who earned Trump's endorsement earlier this month, comes after the congressman's high-profile splits with Trump.

While Moolenaar voted against impeaching Trump on a charge of inciting the January 6 insurrection, Moolenaar did not object to the certification of presidential electors from Arizona and Pennsylvania — in contrast with some of his most strident, pro-Trump House colleagues.

Over the past several years, Moolenaar has generally voted in line with Trump's position on various issues, although his agreement with the former present has waned of late, according to FiveThirtyEight. 

Norton has earned the endorsements of two prominent Trump allies: political operative Roger Stone and former Trump national security advisor Michael Flynn.

In addition to his military service, Norton works in sales and has previously served as a village trustee and village president for Sand Lake, Michigan, according to the US Census Bureau.

Norton describes himself as an "America-first conservative" who believes the nation's "best days are ahead of, not behind her.  

"Tom will NOT surrender our border, our culture, or our rights as American citizens to immigrants, establishment politicians or the global corporations pandering to them," his campaign website states. "An ardent Christian, Tom and his wife Jami strive to raise their three children properly in the eyes of the Lord, not in the eyes of Big Brother."