On March 20, 2025, Americans for Public Trust Executive Director Caitlin Sutherland testified before the Texas Senate Committee on State Affairs in favor of Senate Bill 2035, a bill to ban foreign money in state and local ballot initiatives. In her testimony, Sutherland highlighted the Sixteen Thirty Fund, which has received almost $280 million from a foreign national, Swiss Billionaire Hansjörg Wyss, and has spent $130 million in ballot issue campaigns across 26 states. Including opposing a 2021 Austin measure, Proposition A, that would have forced the city to hire hundreds of new police officers.
Read excerpts from Caitlin’s testimony below:
On Senate Bill 2035…
I thank you for the opportunity to testify in support of Senate Bill 2035 because it’s a commonsense measure that can close an alarming foreign influence loophole. Currently, Texas only prohibits foreign nationals from contributing directly or indirectly to candidates, but there is no similar prohibition on organizations that spend for or against legislatively referred constitutional amendments, or groups spending for or against local ballot measures. This loophole has left your state and local ballot measure campaigns vulnerable to foreign influence.
On the Sixteen Thirty Fund and Hansjörg Wyss…
“Right now, there is a foreign-funded group based in Washington, D.C. called the Sixteen Thirty Fund, and they are actively bankrolling ballot measure campaigns across the country. APT has been able to trace that the Sixteen Thirty Fund has received almost $280 million from a foreign national and has turned around and poured $130 million into ballot issue campaigns in 26 states, including Texas. While there is nothing stopping China or Qatar from taking advantage of this loophole, this foreign money mostly flows from a Swiss billionaire named Hansjörg Wyss. Mr. Wyss is not a U.S. citizen, but his goal is to ‘(re)interpret the American Constitution in the light of progressive politics.’ According to the New York Times, Mr. Wyss’ ‘political activism is channeled through a daisy chain of opaque organizations that mask the ultimate recipients of his money.’ One of those opaque organizations obviously being the Sixteen Thirty Fund.”
On Foreign Backed Money Opposing a Local Austin Measure…
“Their foreign-backed money was funneled into Texas to oppose a 2021 Austin measure, Proposition A, that would have forced the city to hire hundreds of new police officers. Ultimately, that measure did not pass, but it underscores that important policy decisions at the local and state level should be left to U.S. citizens, and foreign money has no place influencing Texas.”
