FEC complaint on Rep. Hoyle, personal use of campaign $$

Monique DeSpain Reacts to News of FEC Complaint Filed Against Val Hoyle by Voter Alleging Unlawful Personal Use of Campaign Funds
— Hoyle’s Suspicious Travel Expenditure Disclosure is the Latest Example of the Corrupt Incumbent Failing Our District While Hiding from Voters
By Monique DeSpain for Congress campaign

Eugene, OR — It appears that during a critical time in Oregon, while wildfires raged and voters wondered where their Congresswoman was, Val Hoyle relaxed at a waterfront hotel in Maine. Today, Oregon Fourth Congressional District Candidate Monique DeSpain reacted to news of an FEC complaint filed by a local resident alleging an apparent unlawful use of “campaign funds for personal use for vacation and travel, violating the FEC’s standard of the irrespective test.” On September 26th, Hoyle voted against H.R.8790 Fix Our Forests Act (FOFA), the only bipartisan wildfire prevention legislation to emerge from the House of Representatives during the 118th Congress, which DeSpain supported and harshly criticized Hoyle for being AWOL on such a critical urgent issue.

“Our corrupt incumbent Congresswoman Val Hoyle was enjoying a fresh air coastal retreat in Maine, 3,300 miles from the 4th District, where our record wildfire season raged on as Hoyle dodged live televised debates and other public forums,” said DeSpain. “Just days after her suspiciously vague FEC travel disclosure, Hoyle cast her shocking vote against the transformative bipartisan Fix Our Forests Act, which aims to prevent future wildfires, legislation I strongly support. When this district truly needed her to stand up for them to support preventing wildfires, Hoyle let us down in favor of her east coast special interests and party bosses, once again.”

The vaguely reported expenditures cited in the complaint were disclosed as a stay at a resort on the coast in upscale Bar Harbor, Maine, near Nova Scotia, Canada, at a time when Hoyle’s campaign claimed she was preoccupied with the Congressional session in D.C. and was too busy to participate in any September forums or debates in the 4th District. At that same time, KVAL specifically offered to host a live-in-studio TV debate on the evening of October 17th, which DeSpain accepted, but Hoyle rejected because of a “scheduling conflict” for that date and any other date in the months of September or October.

“As a retired Air Force Colonel who conducted investigations in the JAG Corps for 20 years, I’ve scrutinized bad actors who were derelict in their sworn duties and evaded responsibility for their actions, ducking and dodging accountability just like Val Hoyle does while she fails to represent us. This is why Hoyle keeps on running away from live TV debates in our district,” added DeSpain. “After voters deploy me to Congress this November, I will stand up for Oregon with my independent voice and I will hold our government accountable and deliver bold, commonsense solutions for the struggling, hard-working people of the Fourth District.”

The latest FEC Complaint is the second FEC complaint filed against Hoyle. The first complaint was filed in August of 2023, alleging the receipt of $5,700 in cash contributions by Hoyle’s campaign from La Mota’s founders, which would exceed the $100 federal legal cash limit. Val Hoyle was eventually forced to disclose that the contributions were made in the form of cash money orders, which is almost unheard of in federal races. It was these same contributions later referenced in media reports that subsequently exposed clear evidence of a cozy, highly inappropriate relationship between Hoyle and La Mota’s CEO, Rosa Cazares, for whom Hoyle authorized, supported, and lobbied to issue an illegal federal grant to a Cazares-controlled non-profit which led to the US Department of Justice issuing a subpoena to BOLI for “all records” related to the illegal grant ENDVR received -just five days after DeSpain’s January 24th press conference launching WhatsValHiding.com and DeSpain’s letter to the US Attorney for the District of Oregon Natalie K. Wight requesting this investigation.

This is also not the first time Hoyle has had public records disclosure issues. For eleven months after leaving BOLI in 2023, Congresswoman Hoyle denied BOLI access to key public records on her personal cell phone, which media outlets have since referenced in bringing Hoyle’s illicit activities to public attention.

Monique DeSpain is a retired U.S. Air Force Colonel, mother of twin boys, and public policy advocate who resides in Eugene, Oregon. She is the Republican nominee for Oregon’s 4th Congressional District, running to unseat incumbent Congresswoman Val Hoyle in 2024 and bring about a safer, more prosperous Oregon. Her campaign website is www.MoniqueForCongress.com