Kelly targets SEIU's “foreign nationals,” misses

Last week, I pointed out that right-wing media had tried to push back against criticism of conservative political groups for funding GOP attack ads with money from undisclosed donors, possibly including foreign donors by baselessly claiming that the AFL-CIO is funded by foreign sources.

With that charge debunked, they've moved on to their next target: long-time conservative target SEIU.

Today on Fox News' America Live, Megyn Kelly accused Democrats of “hypocrisy,” for not “taking aim” at SEIU, claiming that the union “has acknowledged that not only does it have these donors, but that says it cannot 'be certain that foreign nationals have not contributed to its $44 million political budget to support pro-labor Democrats.'” Watch:

Kelly's criticism really doesn't add up.

The quote Kelly is quoting comes from an October 11 Wall Street Journal article:

The Service Employees International Union, one of the nation's fastest-growing labor unions, acknowledges that it can't be certain that foreign nationals haven't contributed to its $44 million political budget to support pro-labor Democrats.

The SEIU says that political dues from Canadian members are kept separate and the union asks its 300,000 U.S. political action committee contributors whether they are U.S. citizens but doesn't require proof.

Indeed, the contribution cards for SEIU's PAC, the Committee on Political Education (COPE), requires donors to agree that they understand that “Only union members and executive/administrative staff who are U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents are eligible to contribute to SEIU COPE.” But it doesn't ask them to prove it:

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So why is Kelly's charge ridiculous? Because there's not a federal political candidate in the country who requires proof of citizenship before accepting donations.

Don't take my word for it. Go to the website of a candidate for U.S. House or Senate. Click on the icon that asks you to contribute. You'll see a page that asks you for your name, your contact information, your employer, and your credit card information. You'll also be asked to check a box confirming that you are “a United States citizen or permanent resident alien.”

You won't be asked for your Social Security number, or any other evidence of citizenship; the candidates take you at your word.

All Kelly has shown is that SEIU follows the same standards that federal candidates do. Meanwhile, she couldn't care less about conservative groups that provide far less disclosure of their funding.