In a surprising turn of events, a prominent investment manager with a significant stake in marijuana facilities, allegedly employing underage workers and criminal illegal immigrants, has been found to have made substantial contributions to predominantly Democratic campaigns.
This includes the unsuccessful presidential campaign of Republican Nikki Haley.
James Rosenwald, a founding partner of Dalton Investments and a direct owner of a substantial stake in Glass House Brands, has been identified as the individual in question. As reported by the Daily Caller, Rosenwald has donated over $93,000 in support of high-profile Democrats and Democrat-aligned groups over the past decade.
Despite the alleged employment of children and illegal immigrants at the marijuana farms, which could contravene several laws, there is no illegality associated with merely operating a marijuana grow site in California.
In July, a joint operation by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) targeted two marijuana grow sites in Southern California. The operation resulted in the apprehension of hundreds of illegal immigrants and the rescue of approximately 14 migrant children. However, Glass House Brands and Rosenwald did not respond to multiple requests for comment from the Daily Caller.
Rosenwald, who controls about 14% of the total voting power within Glass House Brands, has been a generous donor to Democratic campaigns since 2015. His contributions, totaling nearly $100,000, have supported figures such as Kamala Harris, Joe Biden, and Adam Schiff, as well as pro-Democrat political action committees like ActBlue, Progressive PAC, Blue Momentum, and the California Democratic Party.
These donations are documented in Federal Election Commission (FEC) filings and California public campaign finance records.
Interestingly, Rosenwald's political contributions have not been exclusively Democratic. FEC filings over the past decade reveal that he donated at least $3,300 to Nikki Haley's presidential campaign in November 2023, when she was making a long-shot bid against then-presidential candidate Donald Trump.
The summer raids on Glass House Brand facilities, which attracted national media attention and sparked discussions among lawmakers on Capitol Hill, followed these donations. More than 360 illegal immigrants were arrested during the raids, which were conducted at two California marijuana grow sites in Camarillo and Carpinteria on July 10. Among those apprehended were several individuals with serious criminal histories.
The nature of the raids initially confused Congressional Democrats, with some lawmakers suggesting that immigration agents had targeted a regular produce farm. However, American grocery stores do not typically stock marijuana in produce aisles, even in states where recreational pot is legal.
During the raids, immigration agents also discovered several juvenile illegal immigrants, eight of whom were Unaccompanied Alien Children. CBP Commissioner Rodney Scott stated that the marijuana facilities were under investigation for violating child labor laws.
In response to the raids, members of the House Judiciary Committee announced their own investigation into potential labor violations and the apparent presence of dangerous criminal immigrants working alongside children. The committee confirmed to the Daily Caller that the investigation remains ongoing.
In August, Glass House Brands issued a press release blaming third-party contractors who provided workers to the farms for the labor violations. The company stated that it has since terminated its relationship with two farm labor contractors and now uses experts to review employment documents for validity and age gating.
Graham Farrar, the president of Glass House Brands, has also been found to have made substantial donations to Democratic campaigns over the years. Farrar has donated thousands of dollars to support Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom and other Democratic candidates, according to federal and state campaign finance records reviewed by the Daily Caller in July.
Despite these revelations, Newsom pushed back against reports about Farrars financial support of Democrats, casting the companys CEO and chairman, Kyle Kazan, as a bigger donor to Republicans. However, California campaign finance records show Kazan has also given generously to Democrats over the years, with thousands in donations to ActBlue California.
The controversy surrounding the marijuana facilities and their alleged labor violations continues to unfold. As Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin stated in the immediate aftermath of the July raid, "At the California marijuana facilities, ICE and CBP law enforcement rescued at least 14 migrant children from what looks like exploitation, forced child labor, and potentially human trafficking or smuggling while facing assault and even gunfire."
This case serves as a stark reminder of the importance of maintaining ethical labor practices, even in industries that operate within legal gray areas.
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