Ken Buck and the Colorado Republican Party are inviting supporters to a fundraising luncheon next Wednesday featuring Republican National Committee co-chair Tommy Hicks, Jr., who’s been linked to two Ukrainian men arrested last week for illegally funneling foreign money to U.S. candidates and political committees.
The son of a Dallas billionaire and hunting buddy of Donald Trump Jr., Hicks served as chair for America First Action, a pro-Trump super PAC, prior to being named co-chair of the Republican National Committee earlier this year.
The Washington Post reported that the Ukrainian associates of Rudy Giuliani, Lev Parnas and Igor Frumen, donated $325,000 to America First Action. According to the indictment, the money was falsely reported as coming from a fake liquified natural gas company established to conceal its true donor.
Four days after making the illegal six-figure donation to Hicks’ group, Parnas posted this picture of he and Fruman enjoying a “power breakfast” with Hicks and Trump Jr. at the Beverly Hills Polo Lounge.
The pair also routed money to other Republican groups, including Protect The House, which supported Rep. Mike Coffman’s (R-CO) failed 2018 reelection campaign.
The luncheon takes place at the Maggiano’s restaurant in downtown Denver at 11:30 AM. Tickets are $50, unless one is already a member of the Colorado Republican Committee’s “Capitol Club.” The invitation notes that “contributions from corporations and foreign nationals are prohibited.”
This isn’t Hicks’ first fundraising trip to Colorado this year. In July, he joined Vice President Mike Pence for a reception in Aspen. Tickets for that event reportedly cost $35,000 per couple.
Donald Trump Jr. is also visiting the state next week. The evening before Hicks’ fundraiser, Trump Jr. and Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk are bringing their “Culture War” tour to Colorado State University in Fort Collins.
Hicks is also friends with Kirk and sits on Turning Point’s advisory board. The trio was profiled in 2016 by the Dallas Morning News. The article includes this praise for Hicks fundraising prowess:
“These two young wild men have done more in three or four months than politicos who’ve run their traps for 30 years. They flat went nuts,” says Robert Blaha, chairman of the Trump campaign in Colorado.
