Watchdog’s illegal campaign contribution complaint dismissed by State Board of Elections

The State Board of Elections has closed an investigation into complaints that a member of the Cumberland County Board of Elections made an illegal campaign contribution in 2022 and another member failed to report it.

The complaint was filed in March (opens in a new tab) by longtime North Carolina campaign finance watchdog Bob Hall, who on Thursday shared the state board’s letter dismissing the complaint due to “insufficient evidence.”

“This letter is to inform you that the campaign finance investigation into a donation made by Bree Eldridge stemming from your March 27, 2026 complaint is complete,” the letter said. “The complaint has been closed. The investigation revealed insufficient evidence of a violation.”

As NC Newsline previously reported, Hall accused Brenda “Bree” Eldridge, the board’s current secretary and a former chairwoman of the Cumberland County Republican Party, of making an illegal $25,000 campaign contribution. He also accused current board chairwoman Linda Devore of not reporting the alleged infraction to the state board. Devore was a member of the county election board at the time.

Eldridge said Thursday that she’s glad the matter is behind her.

State board investigators “proved exactly what I had said; that the accusations were false and I’m just ready to move on,” Eldridge said.

Devore said the outcome was not unexpected. She said Eldridge provided investigators with all of the banking records they requested, which proved there was no wrongdoing.

“I know it takes a while for things to be thoroughly investigated,” Devore said. “I think they did a very thorough job, and everybody appreciates their work, and I’m happy to be moving on.”

In the complaint, Hall alleged that Eldridge “intentionally collected contributions from anonymous sources and used the funds to help make, or reimburse herself for, a $25,000 contribution in her name to the Cumberland County Republican Party.”

He told NC Newsline in March that it’s a violation of state law (opens in a new tab) to make a campaign contribution with someone else’s money or in the name of another donor. Unlawful contributions of more than $10,000 are a felony. Felonies have no statute of limitations in North Carolina.

Hall said his complaint was based on internal GOP documents, affidavits and recorded interviews indicating multiple donors gave money. The complaint included statements from Eldridge, Devore and former party treasurer Richard Button substantiating the charges, but all three now “disclaim those statements,” he said.