An investigation has been requested into the Republican candidate running against Bob Good, the chairman of the Freedom Caucus, over allegations of listing a deceased person as his campaign treasurer. John McGuire is accused of financial discrepancies in previous campaigns for the state legislature and Congress, specifically citing reports from his 2021 run for Virginia’s House of Delegates that showed a deceased individual, David Matthew Clemens, listed as the campaign treasurer.
Clemens was appointed as treasurer in July 2021 but passed away in October of the same year. Despite his death triggering a state law requiring a new treasurer within 10 days, campaign finance reports show McGuire continued to file reports with Clemens’s approval until August 2022.
The request for an investigation was made by lawyer Matthew Hardin, who highlighted potential violations beyond the deceased treasurer issue. He pointed out that the campaign treasurer must be a registered voter of the state, which may not have been the case with Thomas Datwyler, who was linked to Clemens’s email address in the statement of organization.
Hardin also noted other irregularities in campaign finance reports, including duplicate expenditure reports and acceptance of illegal contributions. The letter requesting the investigation was sent to U.S. Attorney Jessica Aber and Goochland County Commonwealth Attorney John Lumpkins.
Good’s campaign expressed unawareness of the allegations but expects authorities to investigate the matter. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Eastern Virginia confirmed receiving the letter but mentioned that such inquiries are forwarded to separate investigative bodies for review.
The allegations surfaced as McGuire challenges Good’s reelection bid in what is considered a contentious GOP primary for the 2024 cycle. Despite House Speaker Mike Johnson’s plea for members not to get involved in primaries, some Republicans have openly supported McGuire, raising questions about Good’s chances in the upcoming election.
