MEMO: Trial Begins for Dan Forest’s Biggest Donor, Greg Lindberg

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Tuesday, February 18, 2020
CONTACT: Liz Doherty

TO: Members of the Press & Interested Parties
FR: Liz Doherty, Communications Director
RE: Greg Lindberg Trial
DA: Tuesday, February 18, 2020

MEMO: Trial Begins for Dan Forest’s Biggest Donor, Greg Lindberg

Today begins the trial of Greg Lindberg, Dan Forest’s largest donor who is now facing federal bribery charges. Lindberg contributed over $2.4 million to Truth & Prosperity PAC and the NC Republican Council of State Committee. Truth & Prosperity is a state-level PAC that was created in 2015 with the “top priority” of supporting Dan Forest. Greg Lindberg made these contributions at the same time he was trying to buy off NC Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey.

Below please find a series of reminders of the connections between Dan Forest and Greg Lindberg, and note that the list is growing as the press brings more Forest-Lindberg ties to light:

1. Forest’s Former Chief of Staff & Current Campaign Manager, Hal Weatherman, Tried to Set Up Meeting with Greg Lindberg, John Gray, NC Commissioner Causey.

Earlier this month, a WRAL report by Travis Fain revealed Dan Forest’s former chief of staff and current campaign manager, Hal Weatherman, used his private email account in August 2017 to set up a meeting between Greg Lindberg, John Gray, and North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey.

Within a month from the time Weatherman sent that email, Lindberg donated $400,000 into the Forest-chaired Republican Council of State Committee and “more than $50,000 flowed into Forest’s campaign coffers from associates of Greg Lindberg and John Gray, at least in part because Lindberg hosted a fundraiser at his home.” By the end of 2017 Lindberg contributed $2.4 million to committees which fund Forest’s gubernatorial run.

Here’s that email:

(WRAL: “Forest aide sought meeting between insurance chief, financier later indicted”)A big question remains. Did Dan Forest ask Greg Lindberg for campaign contributions in exchange for setting up a meeting between Lindberg and Causey

Again, Lindberg is Forest’s biggest donor. Forest received over $2.4 million from Greg Lindberg at the same time he was trying to buy off Mike Causey:

• Lindberg gave $1 million to Dan Forest’s Truth and Prosperity PAC.
• He also gave $1.4 million to another PAC that supports Forest.
• Plus, Lindberg associates shelled out nearly $50,000 to Forest’s campaign committee.

(WRAL: “Fundraising 101: Breaking down the millions in NC politics.”)2. Forest Describes Lindberg, Other Indicted Men As “Friends” of His & “Good Guys.”

Last year, Forest told reporters he is friends with the men involved in the corruption scandal. Here’s the quote: “First of all, there’s a few guys in there that are friends of mine. These are good guys. I like these guys.”

WATCH: “Forest Discusses Indicted Donor.” (WRAL, April 2, 2019)Forest claims Lindberg is a “friend” of his. He also has maintained that Lindberg and his associates never asked him for anything in return for donations. But, a big question remains. Did Dan Forest ask Greg Lindberg for campaign contributions in exchange for setting up a meeting between Lindberg and Causey?

 

3. Greg Lindberg Threw A Fundraiser At His Home For Dan Forest in August 2017.

 

As reported by the News & Observer, on the same day Forest posted the above Facebook photo, Lindberg gave the Council of State committee $400,000.

 

4. Lindberg Was Listed As A Host of Forest’s 50th Birthday Party in Raleigh in October 2017.

Despite desperate attempts from Forest’s campaign to distance themselves from Greg Lindberg and false claims that he had never given directly to their campaign, Forest’s campaign eventually revealed to the News & Observer that it failed to report an in-kind donation from Lindberg.

 

5. Plus, Lindberg Associates Shelled Out Nearly $50,000 to Forest’s Campaign Committee.

In addition to the millions Forest has received from Lindberg himself, Forest’s campaign has also received over $60,000 in individual contributions from Lindberg’s employees and associates.

Want more? There’s no shortage of relevant reading:

• Greensboro News & Record “GOP race for N.C. insurance commissioner comes against backdrop of bribery trial,” February 12, 2020.
• Policy Watch “Greg Lindberg, the man who knew too many,” By Billy Ball, February 12, 2020.
• INDY Week “A Week in the Life: Here’s What Happened Since the INDY Went to Press Last Week,” By Jeffery Billman, February 11, 2020.
• Policy Watch “Perfecting corruption: Latest campaign news shows how far and fast our politics have fallen,” By Rob Schofield, February 11, 2020.
• WRAL “Fundraising 101: Breaking down the millions in NC politics,” By Travis Fain, February 10, 2020.
• WRAL “Forest aide sought meeting between insurance chief, financier later indicted,” By Travis Fain, February 5, 2020.
• Policy Watch “Today’s must read: More details emerge on the Forest-Lindberg connection,” By Rob Schofield, February 5, 2020.
• Mother Jones “Corruption, Gerrymandering, and Voter Suppression: How North Carolina’s GOP Made a Great Big Mess,” By Jacob Rosenberg, April 24, 2019.
• WUNC “Indicted Businessman Lindberg’s Donations Reach Far And Wide,” By Jason Debruyn and Jeff Tiberii, April 4, 2019.
• News & Observer “Questions arise for Dan Forest after indictment of GOP donor,” By Paul Specht, April 4, 2019.

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