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Posted on 09/06/2026 5:34:56 PM PDT by Angelino97
The Israeli government is running advertisements on a popular podcast hosted by Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), raising questions about whether the staunchly pro-Israel lawmaker is indirectly receiving campaign funding from a foreign country.
Radio and podcast giant iHeartMedia has syndicated Cruz’s show, “Verdict with Ted Cruz,” since 2022. Because of lobbying-related restrictions, the company cannot legally pay the senator for ad revenue. But, it turns out, that’s not the only way to ensure the money benefits Cruz.
Under an unusual licensing deal, iHeartMedia agreed to donate revenue “associated with (the show’s) advertising sales” to the Truth and Courage PAC, a super PAC dedicated to “ensuring that Ted Cruz is re-elected to the United States Senate.” The company has given at least $1,738,000 of “digital revenue” to the Truth and Courage PAC since 2023, according to Federal Election Commission filings.
The agreement has drawn significant scrutiny from watchdog groups, some of which filed a complaint against Cruz with the FEC alleging he “brazenly violated” laws that bar candidates from receiving corporate donations.
Though the senator admitted to having met with representatives from the company to discuss the acquisition of the show, the agency ruled in his favor, finding that there was “no available information to indicate that Cruz solicited, directed, received, transferred, or spent the funds iHeart paid to the PAC.”
“Cruz’s role was limited to hosting the Podcast and he does not appear to have been involved with the decision for iHeart to pay the PAC, meaning that he did not direct or solicit any funds,” the commission found.
The Israeli government-funded ad revenue appears to operate in a similar gray area. The advertisements, which are part of the $7 million “I am Israel” campaign launched in June, are geared toward encouraging Christians to visit the country and see biblical sites for themselves.
“Israel isn’t a destination; it’s a revelation, where every site you’ve studied, every scripture you’ve memorized, every sermon that ever moved you suddenly has an address, a landscape, a heartbeat,” Ben Ferguson, Cruz’s co-host, says in one ad. “This is the trip that changes not just how you see the Holy Land, but how you see everything.”
Ferguson then urges listeners to “start planning your trip today” and tells them to follow “Visit Israel” accounts on social media. The ads do not disclose that Visit Israel is a public-facing entity of the Israeli ministry of tourism.
The campaign appears to exploit a loophole in election financing laws. Candidates and PACs are banned from receiving any funding “directly or indirectly” from foreign nationals, according to the FEC.
But Cruz would only run afoul of campaign finance laws if Israel explicitly earmarked its contribution to go to the PAC, said Craig Holman, a leading expert on campaign finance laws and an ethics lobbyist at Public Citizen.
“Assuming there is no formal agreement, then the money is considered iHeartRadio funds, with which it can do as it pleases,” Holman said.
Holman blamed court decisions like Citizens United for opening the path to Cruz’s “surreptitious financial arrangement” with iHeartMedia.
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Foreign Money and US Campaigns
Finance Policy Updated March 25, 2019
Introduction
Federal campaign finance law and regulation prohibits foreign money in U.S. elections. Prohibited funds surreptitiously affecting campaigns in the United States remains a policy concern.
Some policymakers argue that existing disclosure requirements and the 2010 Citizens United Supreme Court ruling increase the risk for untraceable foreign funds to affect U.S. campaigns.
Others counter that existing prohibitions clearly bar foreign funds and that hypothetical concerns are exaggerated, and that proposed restrictions on corporate spending could target particular companies or types of speech, or both.
For additional detail, see:
<><>CRS Report R41542, The State of Campaign Finance Policy: Recent Developments and Issues for Congress, by R. Sam Garrett;
,><>and CRS Legal Sidebar WSLG1857, Foreign Money and U.S. Elections, by L. Paige Whitaker.
Foreign National Prohibition in FECA
The Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA) prohibits foreign nationals from making contributions or expenditures in U.S. elections. This prohibition applies not only to federal elections, but also to state and local ones. The foreign national prohibition is broad, restricting avenues for foreign funds to flow to or be accepted by political campaigns, parties, or political action committees (PACs).
FECA bars foreign nationals from “directly or indirectly” making contributions or donating another “thing of value” in any federal, state, or local election; and prohibits contributions to political parties or other political committees (52 U.S.C. §30121(a)(1)).
Any “person” (e.g., a U.S. citizen) may not “solicit or accept” a contribution or donation from a foreign national (52 U.S.C. §30121(a)(2)).
Foreign nationals may not make expenditures, including independent expenditures (IEs, which call for election or defeat of candidates) or electioneering communications (ECs, which mention candidates during pre-election periods but do not expressly advocate election or defeat).
snip——long read
I'm not saying it's a good thing, but illegal?
Why are you concerned in the united states if is illegal. No one to jail.
This country is a joke. We are gonna go down very
soon cause we are so stupid to now allow socialism.
Iranian lobbyist Trita Parsi is a a Quincy founder.
Federal Prohibitions
Candidate Elections:
The Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA) bans foreign nationals from making direct or indirect contributions, donations, or expenditures in any federal, state, or local election.
A foreign national includes any individual who is not a U.S. citizen and does not hold a green card (lawful permanent resident), as well as foreign governments and foreign corporations.
Foreign nationals cannot take part in the decision-making process of any political committee or organization regarding U.S. election activities.
https://www.fec.gov/help-candidates-and-committees/foreign-nationals/
How many podcasts are supported by Qatar? Does Cruz even have a legal option to stop foreign countries from buying ad time? Is Israel banned from buying advertising for tourism?
This is similar to the tactics used by left-wing associations and networks. Everything is done at arms length (wink, wink).
Can Israel run ads on a radio show and pay Heart media for the ads? Yes, that’s protected by the First Amendment. Can Heart Media give the money to a PAC? Yes, provided that the use of the money is not a condition of placing the ad. Israel and Heart Media cannot be in cahoots, that would be illegal. Is Ted Cruz involved in any way with this? No, not at all, it’s two complete independent actions by Israel and Heart Media over which he has no control.
See how this works? They probably learned it from Soros.
“”“Assuming there is no formal agreement, then the money is considered iHeartRadio funds, with which it can do as it pleases,” Holman said.
Holman blamed court decisions like Citizens United for opening the path to Cruz’s “surreptitious financial arrangement” with iHeartMedia.””
***
Thank you for posting this thread. Seeing or hearing leftie whining about “anything Israel” is always music to my ears and puts me in a a real good mood. It’s not illegal and there’s not a damned thing the idiotic Israel-haters can do about it “but” whine. So whine on, lefties!
So go into Federal Court and file a complaint.
There’s nothing stopping you.
Do it.
L
Podcastistan.
Are these Jewish committees making direct or indirect contributions, donations, or expenditures
in any US federal, state, or local election.......and dictating US foreign policy initiatives?
Representing the smallest political minority segment,
groups range from major ntl advocacy organizations to
local community relations councils. Key examples include:
<><>the American Jewish Committee (AJC) with 25 U.S. regional offices,
<><>the Jewish Council for Public Affairs (JCPA) which represents over 100 groups,
<><>JCPA also represents 157 local Jewish Federations.
Major Jewish Committees and Organizations:
<><>American Jewish Committee (AJC): a major global advocacy
<><>AJC has 25 US regional offices and 13 overseas.
<><>Jewish Council for Public Affairs (JCPA): An umbrella body
<><>works with 16 national Jewish agencies
<><>and 125 local Jewish Community Relations Councils (JCRCs).
<><>Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA):
<><>Represents 157 Jewish Federations and 400 independent communities.
<><>Anti-Defamation League (ADL): A leading anti-hate organization.
<><>Jewish Federations operate a Jewish Community Relations Council for local public affairs.
Other Notable Committees & Associations:
<><>Secure Community Network (SCN): Works for 146 federations and 50 major non-profits.
<><>Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations:
<><>the Conference is a coalition of over 50 national member organizations.
The structure of these committees varies, with some focusing on public policy (like the JCPA), international relations (like the AJC), or community security (like the SCN).
Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org
American Jewish Committee (AJC) is an international advocacy organization.......
Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia
https://jewishphilly.org
Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia. Five main committees and a handful of specialized task forces are the drivers behind the vital work...
Jewish Council for Public Affairs
https://jewishpublicaffairs.org
Over 100 Jewish Groups Assail Recent Attacks on Democratic Norms and Values -
I qgree it’s probably not a good look, but if it’s a publicly licensed business, I suspect they *cannot* reject most sponsor ads regardless of content or origin.
Stick to the subject at hand, dummy........
Lame attempt at deflection.
All nations are forbidden from funding U.S. election campaigns -- even under the guise of "tourism advertising."
Israel could have advertised its tourism in thousands of American radio, TV, podcast, magazine and newspaper outlets that are unconnected to PACs.
It instead chose to advertise on a podcast that funneled money to a sitting Senator's PAC.
They can complain to FEC and see how it goes.
Given the arrangement described, and since money is fungible, they could’ve run an ad on any podcast where iHeart gets paid and iHeart could slide money to Cruz. In that sense, it doesn’t matter whether the ad is run on Cruz’s podcast or someone else’s.
If illegal, that’d mean iHeart can’t accept ANY foreign ads.
I don’t think the prohibition on “indirect” means “indirect to an infinite degree”.
To what degree, I don’t know. Let it go to the FEC and see what they say. Given the extensive money laundering on the left, if it is ruled illegal, it’d ultimately hurt dems more than Cruz anyway.
I knew Cruz was OWNED by Israel, just knew it!!! (and for supporting Israel, I’ll again vote for him).
They more likely taught Soros.
“”Stick to the subject at hand, dummy........””
***
Look who’s projecting by calling someone “else” a dummy. Especially since...the “subject at hand” with you is always the same damn thing.... spewing hate and propaganda against Israel and ‘da Jews’.
Thank you for posting that. It tells me nothing described in the article is illegal. A podcast is not an election.
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