A series of mysterious payments from a PAC supporting Jon Huntsman went in fact to Huntsman’s main political advisor, John Weaver, the treasurer for the PAC said Thursday.
The Utah-based Horizon PAC will file an amended report with state authorities over three payments totalling $205,000 and labeled “For Bahm Marketing LLC.”
Horizon PAC Treasurer Tim Riester told BuzzFeed Thursday night that the money went to Weaver’s Austin-based Network companies. That sum comes on top of the $228,575 which the Utah-based political action committee paid Weaver’s firm during the Spring of 2011, when it laid the groundwork for Huntsman’s unsuccessful presidential bid. Weaver was paid another $219,581, including travel expenses, by Huntsman's campaign in the second half of 2011 and beginning of 2012.
“I am satisfied that those funds were dispersed to the Network Companies, LLC,” PAC treasurer Tim Riester said in an email to BuzzFeed, adding that the funds are “not missing from Horizon PAC.”
Riester said he was satisfied that he'd gotten value for money.
"The Network Companies managed and completed the scope of work it was assigned and by Horizon PAC," he said.
Riester described Weaver’s company as the “primary vendor for the project.”
“Bahm Marketing was a subcontractor,” he said.
Weaver also suggested to BuzzFeed in an email that they had in fact gone to a company called “Bahm Marketing LLC,” a New York-based political consulting firm.
The company’s owner, however, said he had never received, or been aware of, the payments.
Weaver didn’t immediately respond to questions about the new disclosure.