Two conservatives operatives were trained by a former British spy to infiltrate the Democratic party in Wyoming, Colorado and Arizona, according to a new investigation published in The New York Times.
The couple – now married – used large donations to ingratiate themselves with left-leaning organizations, including political campaigns. They created cover stories and volunteered on progressive causes with the longterm goal of intelligence gathering.
They had some success, gaining the trust of Democratic power brokers in the West and earning an invite to a Democratic presidential primary debate in Las Vegas.
“The operatives aimed to gather dirt that could sabotage the reputations of people and organizations considered threats to a hard-right agenda advanced by President Donald J. Trump,” according to The New York Times.
The undercover agents – Beau Maier and Sofia LaRocca – received training from Richard Seddon, a former MI-6 spy who also worked on a shadowy campaign to discredit then National Security Adviser, H.R. McMaster.
Erik Prince, the scandal-plagued defense contractor, recruited Seddon for the job. The mission was funded by Susan Gore, an heiress to the Gore-Tex fortune. Many of the parties involved had ties to Project Veritas, the conservative group that uses clandestine recordings to embarrass perceived enemies in politics and the media. Maier, who is a veteran, is also Glenn Beck’s nephew. Prince is the brother of Betsy DeVos, Trump’s Secretary of Education.
LaRocca and Maier went on double dates with Karlee Provenza, who would become one of the only Democrats in Wyoming’s legislature, and her husband, who is the head of a progressive organization.
At one point, LaRocca got a job at Wyoming Investor Network, a consortium of wealthy liberal donors.
“Getting the WIN stuff is really damaging,” Chris Bell, who worked as a political consultant for the consortium, told The New York Times. “It’s the entire strategy. Where the money is going. What we’re doing long term.”
Some members of left-leaning circles in Wyoming had their doubts about LaRocca and Maier. At one point, LaRocca changed her cover name, saying she was trying to hide from an ex-boyfriend.
Both LaRocca and Maier pledged $10,000 to the Democratic National Committee and made large contributions to individual candidates and groups.
“We are all vulnerable to charm and hefty contributions,” George Durazzo Jr., a fundraiser, told The New York Times. “Ten thousand bucks, you definitely have me by the ears.”
The New York Times continues:
Within days, they were in Las Vegas for the Democratic presidential debate, schmoozing with committee staff members and other donors during a party beforehand.
Before submitting their names to be cleared by security for the Democratic National Committee events in Las Vegas, Mr. Durazzo said he asked Mr. Maier whether any “surprises” might come up. Mr. Maier revealed that he was the nephew of Mr. Beck but said he did not share his uncle’s politics.
It is unclear where the duo got the money to finance their many donations. If they were reimbursed, they committed a federal crime.
“Sometimes when you’re looking at patterns of contributions, you start to see people with relatively limited resources making sizable political contributions,” Brendan Fischer, the director of federal reform at the Campaign Legal Center and an expert on campaign finance law told The New York Times. “That can be a red flag.”
In October 2020, the couple seemed to abandon their operation.
More from The New York Times:
“She kind of dropped off the face of the earth,” said [Sarah] Hunt, the executive director of the Wyoming Democratic Party.
In fact, the couple never left the area. Mr. Maier and Mr. Seddon have also been working together on a business venture importing ammunition from overseas, according to a business document linking the two men that was obtained by The Times.
Last week, Ms. LaRocca and Mr. Maier married in Big Horn, Wyo. Mr. Beck, the conservative commentator and Mr. Maier’s uncle, delivered a wedding toast.
