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 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 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. 

NC campaign finance watchdog files complaints against two Cumberland County elections officials

Eldridge allegedly made the contribution to pay Gen. Michael Flynn’s fee as the featured speaker at a county party fundraising event that year. Flynn was national security adviser for 22 days during the first Trump administration. He resigned in February 2017 in the wake of reports that he lied about discussing U.S. sanctions against Russia with that country’s ambassador before Trump took office.

“I think the board needed to hear from somebody who gave Eldridge money that she didn’t report,” Hall said. “There was speculation that members of the military, who are barred by DOD [Department of Defense] regulations from partisan fundraising, donated money through Eldridge to help pay Gen. Flynn’s fee, but nobody came forward so that made the investigation difficult.”

Hall had asked the state board to remove Devore from the county board, citing state law that gives it the authority to remove a county board member for “incompetency, neglect or failure to perform duties, fraud, or for any other satisfactory cause.”

Hall also complained that Devore has a history of alleged bias and authoritarian leadership. During the recent 2026 primary, he claims Devore “inappropriately and negligently insisted” that a tent promoting certain candidates remain inside the 50-foot buffer zone at an early voting site, he said. 

State law bans political activity within 50 feet of the entrance of voting sites. 

Devore said the voting site complaint was a “misstatement of the facts” of what happened and was dismissed by the state board in April.

“What I did visiting that site was exactly what is expected of a board member,” Devore said.