A prominent MAGA lawyer bankrolled an election denier now working inside the Trump administration, according to tax filings.
According to reporting by Democracy Docket, a dark money fund run by election denier and anti-voting attorney Cleta Mitchell granted just over $72,000 in the last fiscal year to Heather Honey. Democracy Docket described Honey as an "election conspiracy theorist" hired by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to oversee election integrity.
Mitchell granted the money through her Foundation for Accountability, Integrity and Research in Elections Fund. Honey accepted the money through her company, Verity Vote, for consulting and research services, according to tax filings reviewed by Democracy Docket.
In fiscal year 2024, Honey's company took in more than $120,000 from Mitchell's fund, Democracy Docket added. Honey is also listed as the vice president and director of Mitchell's fund, and Honey founded a Pennsylvania group that operates under Mitchell's Election Integrity Network, according to Democracy Docket.
Mitchell and Honey have a long history of undermining election security and spreading false voter fraud claims, according to Democracy Docket. DHS appointed Honey in August 2025 to a newly created post in its election integrity division, and two months later, the watchdog group American Oversight sued DHS for hiring her.
The American Oversight lawsuit pointed out that Honey suggested that Trump could seize control of elections from states by declaring a national emergency, Democracy Docket reported.
"Transparency about Honey's appointment and tenure is key to understanding who is tasked with overseeing our election infrastructure," American Oversight wrote about its lawsuit. "The records at issue in our lawsuit could show how Trump and his allies intend to undermine, and potentially subvert, the security of future elections."
Mitchell, meanwhile, keeps working to restrict voting from outside government, Democracy Docket noted. Her fund tripled its grant spending last fiscal year on election-denial groups, according to reporting by Sludge, and the Guardian reported that some used the money for deceptive 2024 election ads, including some aimed at Spanish-speaking voters.