I Followed The Money Behind A Heckler, A Pardon, and Epstein’s Bankers. Trump Won’t Like Where It Led.
We’re in this together, and this week I pulled the federal filing showing a Republican group paid $250,000 to the family business of the operative who heckled Abdul El-Sayed. If someone you love needs some great news and proof we’re winning before November 3, a gift subscription is the best way to bring them in. And if you want to stand with us at the highest level, become a Founding Member here... Or if you prefer, send a little extra on Venmo—every bit goes straight back into the work: https://venmo.com/u/dworkinreport I Followed The Money Behind A Heckler, A Pardon, and Epstein’s Bankers. Trump Won’t Like Where It Led.The $250,000 nobody noticed, the $50 million job before a pardon, and a county fighting to keep armed agents away from its polls.
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Abdul El-Sayed Beat Their $250,000SetupOn Saturday, October 17, Democratic nominee for Senate Abdul El-Sayed held a town hall in Caro, a small town in Michigan’s Thumb. A young man named Tommy stood up and asked him to disavow the Muslim Brotherhood. El-Sayed said yes, then he asked, “What are you implying? Do you assume that I wouldn’t?” For five minutes, El-Sayed talked about the Constitution and every American’s right to practice any faith or none. He told the room: “I’m not running to be a Muslim senator. I’m running for the U.S. Senate and happen to be Muslim.” His campaign posted the video, and it has now been seen more than 44 million times. On Sunday, independent reporter Marisa Kabas of The Handbasket identified Tommy. He is Thomas Teepell, and he worked in Republican Sen. Josh Hawley’s office until February. His father, Timmy Teepell, is a Republican strategist who helped put Hawley in the Senate. America Next is a Republican group that paid the father’s company $250,000 on September 29. According to the campaign finance filing, it was for “canvassing and influencer marketing” against El-Sayed. The two share an office suite in Baton Rouge. In an email to supporters last night, El-Sayed said: “Republicans are attacking my faith because they have nothing else to run on.” He added that Trump and Mike Rogers are “betting that if they make voters afraid of me, nobody will notice who’s actually been robbing them.” Republicans are spending money attacking El-Sayed’s faith because they can’t beat him on the issues. It’s failing miserably, and El-Sayed still leads in the polls.
Arlington Is Guarding The BallotBoxOn September 1, DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin said ICE agents could go to polling places to serve warrants. On September 15, Sen. Peter Welch told FBI Director Kash Patel he thought the FBI would stay away from the polls. Patel told him: “When did you hear that? Just another lie.” This week, Arlington County sued to enforce a federal law passed in 1865 that bans armed federal agents at polling places unless they are needed to “repel armed enemies of the United States.” After the lawsuit was filed, the Justice Department said it “has never said it would send federal law enforcement to polling locations.” Patel’s answer is on video. The county plans on fighting back. Its police chief and prosecutors spent four hours on September 16 preparing for the possibility of armed federal agents at the polls, including whether county police should make arrests. This year the county’s prosecutor is sending six lawyers to watch the polls, up from two or three in past elections. Trump’s trying to scare people out of voting because he knows he’s losing, but Arlington County is not going down without a fight. It’s asking the court for a ruling before Election Day.
The $50 Million Job Before Trump’s PardonIn August 2022, a billionaire banker from Venezuela named Julio Herrera Velutini was charged with trying to bribe the governor of Puerto Rico to fire an official investigating his bank. I checked the public records. On December 31, 2024, his daughter Isabela gave $2.5 million to MAGA Inc.—a group that raises money to help Trump. On July 22, 2025, she gave $1 million more. A month later, the Justice Department dropped the bribery charges and let her father plead guilty to one campaign finance charge. On October 22, 2025, Isabela started a company in Florida. Days later, the family hired Trump’s former personal lawyer, Alina Habba, for more than $50 million over four years, The New York Times reported. Habba was also working at the Justice Department at the time. She started the job on January 1. Two weeks later, Trump pardoned Julio Herrera Velutini. To sum it up, the family gave $3.5 million to help Trump, they hired Trump’s former lawyer, and then Trump pardoned the father. Habba told the Times the idea that her job “had anything to do with securing a pardon is false,” and the White House denies it too. Paying for a pardon is a crime, and a pardon doesn’t protect anyone who buys one. There is no proof that happened here. Trump controls the DOJ, so it’s up to Congress to look into it. It’s clear Trump keeps handing out pardons to people with money and connections who just so happen to buy into his crypto or donate to his political operation. We can give him a Congress that checks every one of them in 11 days.
Following Epstein’s MoneyOn February 26, Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren wrote to Trump’s bank regulators. She asked them to look into any Wall Street executives who may have helped Jeffrey Epstein, giving them until March 12 to answer. She wrote that their earlier answers “failed to confirm an ongoing investigation or even commit to opening one.” Nearly eight months later, Warren says they still haven’t acted. Trump’s regulators would rather protect a dead sex trafficker’s bankers than even confirm they’re looking. The evidence was already there. JPMorgan kept Epstein as a client from 1998 until 2013, for years after he became a convicted sex offender. In August, Sen. Ron Wyden found significant evidence that JPMorgan, Deutsche Bank, and Bank of America broke federal money laundering laws by failing to report Epstein’s suspicious transactions on time. So on October 15, Warren and Rep. Robert Garcia introduced the Epstein Wall Street Records Act. If passed, regulators would have 90 days to hand their Epstein records to Congress and 120 days to make them public. Any banker found to have broken banking laws to help him could be banned from the industry. Warren said: “Since they have failed to act, Congress must.” In March, police in France searched a bank in Paris because of what was in the Epstein files. Here at home, Trump’s regulators won’t even say if they’re looking. If Democrats win the House and Senate, Warren and Garcia are in line to run the committees that can make these banks answer for what they did.
The House Map Just Broke Open28 more House races moved toward Democrats. Democrats are favored in 223 seats. On Tuesday, Sabato’s Crystal Ball at the University of Virginia put out their new House ratings. There are 223 seats that lean Democratic, 200 that lean Republican, and now just 12 rated as toss-ups. When I wrote my October 7 House analysis, the Cook Political Report had Democrats favored in 208 seats with 22 toss-ups. Trump did this to his own party, and he deserves every bit of it. Three Iowa seats shifted. In 2018, Democrats won three of the four House seats in Iowa. Three Iowa seats now lean Democratic in the Crystal Ball’s ratings, including the one GOP Rep. Ashley Hinson left to run for Senate. Trump’s tariffs have absolutely wrecked Iowa farmers. Now Iowa is coming for his party. Three 2024 survivors are behind. GOP Reps. Derrick Van Orden in Wisconsin and Scott Perry in Pennsylvania both won by small margins in 2024. Both face the same Democrats again, with their races now leaning Democratic. GOP Rep. Gabe Evans in Colorado won by less than a point—his race moved too. Evans raised $1.5 million last quarter, while his Democratic opponent Manny Rutinel raised $4.2 million. GOP Rep. Andy Harris was added. On Tuesday, the Crystal Ball moved Harris’s seat in Maryland from Safe to Likely Republican, along with five other Republican seats. The money has turned. At least 47 Republican House members raised less than their challengers last quarter, according to Punchbowl News. Only about six Democrats did. Meanwhile, Republican groups are pulling money out of districts they hoped to flip. On Tuesday, the Congressional Leadership Fund canceled $6 million in ads against Democratic Rep. Jared Moskowitz in Florida. Top Republican super PACs have even walked away from their own incumbent—Rep. Tom Kean Jr. in New Jersey. The Bottom Line: We need 218 seats for a majority. According to everything I can see, there are 223 seats leaning toward Democrats with 12 still up for grabs. But I never trust polling numbers I like—so we work like we’re behind and sprint through the finish. No billionaire can tell me to shut down an investigation, and no sponsor can push me to take it easy on Trump. We are completely independent of any corporate influence, and proud of it. Our only funding comes from this amazing community. There are just 11 days left. If you value an independent organization that reports great news daily while leading the resistance to victory on November 3, become a paid subscriber today. Someone you know needs to see this today. So before you go, hit the ❤️ like button and restack it to help us break through the noise. Onward! Scott Should Trump be allowed to pardon his donors? What should happen to banks that helped Epstein move his money? Which House race are you focused most on? Thanks for your support! Another way to help us out is by gifting subscriptions to friends and family! You can get yours by clicking the link. For all contact Congress links, or to volunteer, you can go here: https://actionnetwork.org/forms/sign-up-for-the-watchdog-coalition |
Eleven days left, and protecting the vote is the fight right now. Four letters, about a minute each:
Stop Trump from sending troops to our polling places: https://actionnetwork.org/letters/tell-congress-stop-trump-from-sending-troops-to-our-polling-places/
Stop Trump’s move to take over state elections: https://actionnetwork.org/letters/tell-congress-stop-trumps-move-to-take-over-state-elections/
Impeach Chief Justice John Roberts: https://actionnetwork.org/letters/tell-congress-impeach-supreme-court-chief-justice-john-roberts/
Impeach Pete Hegseth: https://actionnetwork.org/letters/tell-congress-impeach-pete-hegseth/
Tell me below which ones you sent.
JUST A FEW OF MANY COMMENTS:
The money is moving our way. The maps are shifting. Excuses are running out. Eleven days to save America—let's do it.
As Scott says, “Onward”! 💥
Pardons should not be for sale. Pardons should be used rectify injustice
What more proof do we need to indict 47 and his administration? The most corrupt government in the history of this country!
Eleven days. The money’s exposed, the map’s moving, and people are still standing up. Grateful to be in this with all of you.
Vote NOW if your state allows it. No excuses. Make it happen, folks.
Trump’s bank regulators are about as helpful as Hague-Seth saying he’s still investigating the bombing of the girls school in Tehran.
WHISKEY PETE is an incompetent DRUNK as his co-workers confirmed!
Just another FOX NEWS = FAKE NEWS BOOB like Jeannine Pirro (and others) !
Banks were FULLY AWARE of EPSTEIN'S 'BUSINESS' - never reported transactions as mandated by LAW!
JP MORGAN CHASE was fully aware of EPSTEIN'S CRIMES and emails were made public indicating it - employees participated in EPSTEIN'S 'services.'
This also raises questions about the accuracy of PLANE PASSENGER LOGS - were these employees traveling to EPSTEIN'S ISLAND?
JP MORGAN CHASE maintains a gaggle of attorneys to protect their egregious failures.
JP MORGAN CHASE also protected BERNIE MADOFF who could have been stopped.
PLEASE KEEP ASKING QUESTIONS!
EPSTEIN was an uneducated CON MAN who snookered everyone, targeted the WEALTHY BOOBS and continued his exploitation with VIDEO EVIDENCE now in PUTIN'S possession.
EVERY SINGLE BANK needs to be investigated, prosecuted and sanctioned!
THEY ALL KNEW!
Let's also remember that:
#1 THE FBI issued a STAND DOWN ORDER to both NEW MEXICO and NYC that they were investigating - and never did!
#2 At this late date, NEW MEXICO's investigation is being OBSTRUCTED and they have taken legal action.
Remember that it was reported that BODIES WERE BURIED on ZORRO RANCH.
#3 The U.S. is refusing to cooperate and share information about EPSTEIN with ALLIES.
WHY?
LOBBYIST JOHN SUNUNU is running for SENATE in New Hampshire. He was in the EPSTEIN FILES. What else don't we know?
Too much effort and energy has been invested in the COVER-UP!
Trump's time is almost up.
Turnout, turnout, turnout!
It's our turn to speak on Nov. 3. Trump will hear us! Defend democracy by voting!
I get the same form letter each time. Calls are a little better especially if a staffer answers. I’ve had some interesting conversations with Tim Scott’s staff.
I have not had positive feedback from Tim Scott. I'll try the call!
What is needed are people with a pair of balls to act like they care about democracy and hate corruption in the government.
When the FOTUS gets $$$ to grant pardons, that is clearly “pay to play” and is blatantly corrupt.
Everything don-old does and says is corrupt. His little minions will follow him to the end. Now is not the time to be complacent. Vote blue up and down the ballot. Engage others to vote as well. Thanks for your excellent daily reporting, Scott. I love how the news is Va positive!
Banks that failed to report Epstein’s money laundering should pay. Congress must take that up. And release the files implicating Trump.
And NoPardons for big donors, ever!!!!!
Thanks for all your research! I am following the numbers for Congress and the Senate closely and donating to those Senate candidates in the greatest jeopardy.
Focused on Florida 08! 🌴
My slick MAGA sycophant Rep Haridopolos, here on the Florida’s Space Coast,supports “peace negotiations” and will probably not be joining any bipartisan effort to call out treasonous Musk.He sent an email yesterday that included….
“President Trump is not siding with Putin; he is bringing Russia and Ukraine to the negotiating table to bring this war to a peaceful resolution.”
Sharing 📣 widely and called his office and said that email was an insult and he must think his constituents are stupid..and that we all know Trump is a puppet of Putin,doesn’t care about the Ukrainian people or the American people and is corrupt as hell….and he was COMPLICIT !
GOTV everyone….and vote them all out !!!
Lest I repeat "Follow the money money road....." Thank you Scott!!!
It's "go" time.
“In any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing, the next best thing is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing.” - Theodore Roosevelt
https://albellenchia.substack.com/p/calling-all-smiths?r=7wk5d
Q1: Should Trump be allowed to pardon his donors?
A1: NO. In fact, the entire pardon privilege for the POTUS and state Governors need to be revisited. No one person should be able to make a unilateral decision to exercise that privilege. A proposed alternative to the process could operate on the order of a parole board where a committee determines whether an individual is granted parole. But, regardless of whether the pardon is granted by a single person or a committee, that pardon must never be granted if a conflict of interest is determined, or when it directly benefits the individual granting the pardon.
Q2: What should happen to banks that helped Epstein move his money?
A2: I would imagine there were banking laws that address these types of issues, but at the very least, stiff fines must be imposed. At best, the individual(s) approving the actions must be investigated as to intent, motive, and whether the action was done intentionally with the knowledge of the purpose of the act. The banker(s) must be held legally accountable if applicable.
Q3: Which House race are you focused most on?
A3: I’m most focused on the representatives from Texas, since that’s where I live. However, I am extremely concerned about all House races in hopes that the Democratic candidates win by huge margins with the Independents and enough disenchanted Republican votes to bolster the numbers.