Campaign Finance: LinkedIn Founder Funds Epstein Ads

Voters in four battleground states saw new television ads this week. The spots criticize Republican representatives for their handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files. The ads are funded by House Majority PAC, a Democratic fundraising group that received large checks from Reid Hoffman.

Federal Election Commission filings released last week show Hoffman was among the largest donors to the organization. Hoffman co-founded LinkedIn and has faced questions about his personal history with Epstein. The group spent $543,300 on one specific campaign targeting Rep. Nick Begich of Alaska. Begich initially voted against a procedural motion to advance the Epstein Files Transparency Act, though he later supported the final bill.

The transparency law passed in November 2025. It requires the Justice Department to release records related to Epstein while protecting the identities of victims. The new ad campaign accuses Begich of protecting the financier. The spot states that Epstein was protected by elites and urges Alaskans to vote for candidates who prioritize costs over protecting a rapist.

Spending in other states increased sharply in the final two weeks before the election. ADMO, an advertising tracking service, recorded $480,000 in ads for Iowa’s Second Congressional District. Pennsylvania’s 1st District received $2.06 million in ad spend, while Arizona’s 2nd District saw $550,150 and Pennsylvania’s 8th District saw $628,000. All of these advertisements launched within the past week.

Republican leaders pointed to Hoffman’s history as a reason for the spending. Natalie Baldassarre, a spokesperson for the Republican National Committee, said the party accepts money from anyone willing to write a check. She noted that Hoffman maintained a relationship with Epstein after the 2008 conviction. The RNC stated that Democrats have no morals when power and money are on the line.

Records from the Justice Department show Hoffman and Epstein exchanged gifts and correspondence for years. The two also raised money for MIT’s Media Lab. Hoffman visited Epstein on his private island and in New York. In a 2014 Christmas Eve email, Hoffman told Epstein he sent ice cream and a surfer statue for the island. Hoffman told The Wall Street Journal in 2019 that his last interaction with Epstein was in 2015.

Hoffman has denied wrongdoing and expressed regret for participating in fundraising activities with Epstein after the 2008 conviction. He said his actions helped repair Epstein’s reputation. There is no allegation in the public records that Hoffman participated in the sex-trafficking crimes. House Majority PAC did not respond to questions about whether it knew of the relationship before accepting the donation. Representatives for Hoffman did not return calls.