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Krishnamoorthi calls for probe into Hungarian funding of CPAC
The letter to the Justice Department cited concerns about foreign influence in U.S. elections ahead of the 2026 midterms.
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Malvika Choudhary - Fri, 08, May 2026
- 18:25 EDT
- 96
Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi / IANS
Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi asked the Department of Justice to investigate reports that the Hungarian government directed public funds to the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) and other U.S.-linked political activity tied to American elections.
In a May 8 letter addressed to Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, Krishnamoorthi said the allegations raised concerns about unlawful foreign influence in the U.S. electoral process and requested a federal investigation into whether Hungarian government funds were used “directly or indirectly” to support U.S.-based political organizations.
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“Foreign governments have no business funneling money into organizations tied to American elections,” Krishnamoorthi said in a post on X announcing the letter.
According to the letter, Hungary’s newly elected prime minister, Péter Magyar, publicly alleged that the outgoing government of former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán directed government funds to CPAC. Krishnamoorthi wrote that such funding, if confirmed, would present “a clear risk of unlawful foreign influence.”
The Illinois Democrat also pointed to CPAC’s growing relationship with Orbán’s government in recent years, including conferences hosted in Hungary featuring American conservative elected officials and political operatives.
The letter said those events created opportunities for “coordination with foreign political parties, messaging alignment, and mutual political reinforcement.”
Krishnamoorthi further referenced reports that senior Trump administration officials traveled to Hungary during the country’s election period and participated in activities viewed as supportive of Orbán’s reelection effort.
The letter specifically mentioned Vice President JD Vance and argued that the overlap of financial support, political coordination, and advocacy raised questions about whether legal or ethical boundaries had been crossed.
The congressman said CPAC’s role in American politics extends beyond a single annual gathering, describing it as a year-round organizing platform for conservative candidates, donors, and advocacy groups. He warned that the organization’s expansion into Europe, combined with alleged backing from a foreign government, could create “a concerning pathway” for foreign actors to influence U.S. elections, including the 2026 midterms.
Krishnamoorthi noted in the letter that federal election law prohibits foreign governments and foreign nationals from directly or indirectly contributing money or anything of value in connection with U.S. elections, including support routed through intermediaries.
He asked the Justice Department to determine whether Hungarian government funds were used to support U.S.-based political organizations, whether any U.S. persons knowingly facilitated such funding, and whether coordination between foreign officials and American political actors amounted to an effort to influence U.S. elections.
Krishnamoorthi also requested recommendations to Congress on any legislative or regulatory gaps that may have enabled such activity and asked the department to respond by May 22.
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