LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman has given $8 million to Wisconsin’s Democratic Party over five weeks to support gubernatorial nominee David Crowley, as Republicans attack Democrats for accepting his money while running election ads about Jeffrey Epstein.
Wisconsin campaign finance records show donations of $2 million on Sept. 24, $1 million on Oct. 2 and a further $5 million across two October payments, CNBC reported. Crowley faces Republican Tom Tiffany.
The dispute centres on Hoffman’s continued contact with Epstein after the financier pleaded guilty in 2008 to sex offences involving a minor. Hoffman has acknowledged visiting Epstein’s private island and meeting him after that conviction. He has said the relationship arose from fundraising for the MIT Media Lab and repeatedly expressed regret. There is no allegation that Hoffman participated in Epstein’s sex-trafficking crimes.
Separately, Hoffman has contributed $8.5 million this election cycle to House Majority PAC, the principal super PAC supporting House Democrats, according to Federal Election Commission records cited by CNBC. In the past two weeks, the group has launched 13 Epstein-related ads, representing about $8.4 million in spending, according to advertising tracker AdImpact. It had run none on the subject before October.
The ads have appeared in at least six battleground House races. They accuse Republicans of helping block the release of government records concerning Epstein or highlight connections to people in his orbit. Targets include Republican representatives Eli Crane in Arizona, Rob Bresnahan in Pennsylvania and Mike Turner in Ohio, all in tightly contested races that could help determine control of the House.
Super PACs pool donors’ contributions, so Hoffman’s money cannot be traced to any particular advertisement.
The Republican National Committee has accused Democrats of hypocrisy. “Democrats have no problem with money in politics so long as it benefits their own campaign,” RNC spokesperson Natalie Baldassarre told Fox News earlier in the week. Tiffany’s campaign has also released an ad linking Hoffman’s Epstein association to Crowley’s financial support.
Hoffman has described his political spending as necessary despite his opposition to money’s influence in elections. “We should get money out of politics,” he wrote Friday on X, while arguing that donors who share his political views cannot yield to opposing spenders.
Addressing his Epstein contacts in 2019, Hoffman told Axios: “Still, by agreeing to participate in any fundraising activity where Epstein was present, I helped to repair his reputation and perpetuate injustice. For this, I am deeply regretful.”
The exchanges come amid record campaign advertising. AdImpact says more than $11.2 billion has been spent or reserved during the 2026 cycle, more than in any previous presidential election cycle. More than $1 billion is booked to air before Election Day.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The dispute connects major-donor fundraising with campaign messages in competitive races, giving Republicans a counterattack against Democrats’ Epstein-focused advertising.
- The distinction between donations and particular advertisements matters: pooled super PAC funding does not establish that Hoffman financed any specific spot.
Background
Political parties and super PACs provide separate channels for election spending. In this case, state records document Hoffman’s support for Wisconsin Democrats, while federal records document his contributions to a group working to elect House Democrats. His past association with Epstein has become part of the political contest over that support.
Key Perspectives
Reid Hoffman: Opposes money’s influence in politics but argues that donors sharing his views cannot leave spending unanswered. He has expressed regret for continuing to associate with Epstein.
Republican National Committee: Accuses Democrats of applying a double standard by accepting Hoffman’s donations while attacking Republicans over Epstein-related connections.
House Majority PAC: Its advertisements accuse targeted Republicans of obstructing the release of Epstein records or highlight their connections to people in Epstein’s orbit.
What to Watch
- Whether the Epstein-focused advertising expands beyond the battleground House races already targeted.
- Whether Tiffany’s attacks on Hoffman’s support become a larger part of the Wisconsin governor’s race.
- The results in the competitive House districts targeted by the ads, where outcomes could help determine control of the chamber.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 12 supported.
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- SupportedHoffman’s Democratic donations drew Republican attacks over his Epstein ties.Tech: “There is no allegation that Hoffman participated in Epstein's sex-trafficking crimes, but Republicans have nevertheless seized on the relationship. The Republican National Committee this week accused Democrats of hypocrisy for accepting Hoffman's money while using Epstein against GOP candidates.”
- SupportedLate campaign spending coincided with election attacks featuring a major donor’s past relationship with Epstein.Tech: “The checks are landing in the middle of a final-week ad frenzy”
- SupportedHoffman gave Wisconsin Democrats $8 million over five weeks to support David Crowley, while Republicans criticized Democrats for accepting his money amid Epstein-related election ads.Tech: “Billionaire venture capitalist Reid Hoffman has put $8 million into the Democratic Party of Wisconsin over the past five weeks to help the party's gubernatorial nominee David Crowley in his race against Republican Tom Tiffany.”
- SupportedThe Wisconsin donations included $2 million on Sept. 24, $1 million on Oct. 2 and another $5 million in two October payments.Tech: “The LinkedIn co-founder gave $2 million on Sept. 24, $1 million on Oct. 2 and another $5 million in two installments on Oct. 5 and Oct. 20, according to Wisconsin campaign finance records .”
- SupportedHoffman acknowledged visiting Epstein’s private island and meeting him after Epstein’s 2008 conviction.Tech: “Hoffman has acknowledged visiting Epstein's private island and meeting with him after the conviction.”
- SupportedHoffman told Axios in 2019: “Still, by agreeing to participate in any fundraising activity where Epstein was present, I helped to repair his reputation and perpetuate injustice. For this, I am deeply regretful.”Tech: “"Still, by agreeing to participate in any fundraising activity where Epstein was present, I helped to repair his reputation and perpetuate injustice. For this, I am deeply regretful."”
- SupportedHoffman contributed $8.5 million this cycle to House Majority PAC, described as the principal super PAC supporting House Democrats.Tech: “The House Majority PAC, the main super PAC working to elect House Democrats, has received $8.5 million from Hoffman this cycle, according to Federal Election Commission records.”
- SupportedIn the past two weeks, House Majority PAC ran 13 Epstein-related ads representing about $8.4 million in spending.Tech: “In the past two weeks, the group has rolled out 13 ads related to disgraced financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein . They total about $8.4 million in spending”
- SupportedThe Epstein-related ads appeared in at least six battleground House races and accused Republicans of blocking records releases or highlighted ties to people in Epstein’s orbit.Tech: “The spots have pushed Epstein into at least six battleground House races, accusing Republicans of helping block the release of government records related to Epstein or highlighting their ties to people in his orbit.”
- SupportedRNC spokesperson Natalie Baldassarre told Fox News: “Democrats have no problem with money in politics so long as it benefits their own campaign.”Tech: “"Democrats have no problem with money in politics so long as it benefits their own campaign," RNC spokesperson Natalie Baldassarre told Fox News earlier this week.”
- SupportedHoffman wrote on X on Friday: “We should get money out of politics,” while arguing that people who share his political ideals cannot yield to opposing spenders.Tech: “"We should get money out of politics," Hoffman wrote Friday on X. "And while others spend outrageous amounts to keep authoritarian clowns in power, those of us who believe in the ideals of America cannot yield."”
- SupportedTiffany’s campaign released an ad connecting Hoffman’s Epstein association with Crowley’s financial support.Tech: “In a new 15-second ad , Tiffany's campaign splices together clips of Crowley saying "Epstein" and "billionaires" before a narrator says they "are bankrolling David Crowley's campaign."”