Bigshot Republican pollster fired after audit alleges financial misconduct: report

Matthew Chapman
December 19, 2024
RAW STORY

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Chris Wilson, a prominent Republican pollster was fired earlier this month amid allegations of financial misconduct, Politico reported.

Wilson, the CEO of the GOP polling firm WPA Intelligence who worked for Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), was an occasional guest on MSNBC, where he heaped praise on Donald Trump.

But things began to unravel for Wilson when "two outside auditing firms were hired to conduct investigations, and two business consultants were later brought on to restructure the company and restore its profitability, according to the people ... The audits of the company’s finances found that over the past several years Wilson used firm money to pay for items that were likely for personal expenses, such as vacations, health charges and the use of a nanny, according to five people with direct knowledge of the situation. Wilson at times used WPAI’s money to pay large portions of his personal credit card bill, which he would also use for company business, according to two of the people."

According to the report, Wilson was officially fired Dec. 5 following these results.

He has denied all of the allegations against him, with his lawyer calling them "defamatory and false," and adding, “The timing of these allegations is particularly surprising given that, following completion of a recent audit, Chris was actually given a raise."

This isn't the first time a prominent political strategist or special interest figure landed in the hot seat for allegations of diverting funds for personal gain.

One of the most prominent in recent years was former NRA executive Wayne LaPierre, whose lavish expenditure of organization funds on vacation and lifestyle purchases during a period when the organization was hemorrhaging revenue and membership ultimately led to his being banned from the organization for 10 years.