Alabama Republican still has not fully explained where $3 million in ‘dark money’ came from
AG candidate Katherine Robertson says she and Jay Mitchell know where the money is from, but its sources are not publicly reported.
Ethan Parker 
Alabama attorney general candidate Katherine Robertson is pushing back against criticism regarding $2.9 million in campaign contributions, insisting the origins of the funds are no mystery. The debate over the campaign's finances has intensified during the race for attorney general as the runoff against Jay Mitchell draws closer.
The Money Dispute
During a recent debate in Montgomery, Robertson addressed the controversy head-on. She explicitly credited the Republican Attorneys General Association (RAGA)—which has endorsed her campaign—and prominent Federalist Society leader Leonard Leo as the primary sources of her backing.
“Let’s go back to the money, since that’s what Jay wants to talk about tonight,” Robertson said. “He knows where my money came from. It came from the Republican attorneys general, and it came from a guy named Leonard Leo that Jay knows.”
Despite these assertions, campaign finance records show the $2.9 million came from three organizations that are not required to publicly disclose their individual donors. Mitchell has labeled these funds “dark money,” arguing that voters deserve transparency. “Look, if you’re so proud of it, you should take it directly and you should disclose it to the Alabama Secretary of State’s office,” Mitchell countered.
Campaign Finance Concerns
Robertson, who currently serves as chief counsel for Attorney General Steve Marshall, led the May 19 primary with 40.5% of the vote. Mitchell, a former Alabama Supreme Court justice, followed with 34.4%. Robertson’s campaign finance reports indicate that First Principles Action, Frontline Leaders Action, and the Rule of Law Action Fund collectively provided 16 donations totaling $2.9 million, accounting for half of her total campaign fundraising.
While Robertson has a long-standing professional connection to RAGA through her work with Marshall, public campaign reports do not show direct contributions from the national organization to her campaign. Furthermore, while Leonard Leo is a well-known figure in conservative legal circles, public records do not directly tie the PACs funding Robertson’s campaign to his specific contributions in the manner she suggested.
205focus.com has reached out to the Robertson campaign for further documentation regarding the funding sources, but has not received a response.
Clashing on the Campaign Trail
The candidates continued to spar over the issue during a follow-up debate in Mobile. Robertson maintained that her relationships with national organizations like RAGA are essential for Alabama, citing the assistance provided by other states during the recent Supreme Court redistricting case.
Mitchell remains unconvinced by the explanation, emphasizing that 97% of his own funding originated within Alabama. “The whole point of these dark money shell entities is that you don’t see who puts the money into them,” Mitchell said. “That is what Alabamians deserve to know.”
As the runoff race continues, Robertson maintains that she is supported by a broad coalition of conservative groups, including the Alabama Farmers Federation’s FarmPAC, the Alabama Sheriffs Association, the Alabama Forestry Association’s ForestPAC, the National Rifle Association, and Club for Growth Action.
