John James is building his gubernatorial campaign around a “Freedom From Corruption” platform and the West Point Honor Code, declaring he won’t “lie, cheat, or steal, or tolerate those who do.”
Subsequently, his Political Action Committee disbursed $1.3 million to consultants implicated in the Trump-NRA coordination scandal, wherein Red Eagle Media Group, a firm whose parent company’s affiliates handled ad placement for both Trump and the NRA, engaged in illicit advertising coordination during the 2016 election.
The allegations and reporting were already public by the time James hired the firm.
Meanwhile, James continues to promise Michiganders that he will “clean up corruption.”
Story Highlights:
- James’ Mission Michigan PAC paid $1.3 million to Red Eagle Media Group, a consulting firm tied to a network of Republican media entities connected to the Trump-NRA coordination scandal.
- Public filings previously revealed overlapping employees, shared addresses, mirrored ad buys, and the same individual authorizing ad placements tied to both Trump’s campaign and NRA-backed spending efforts.
- Former FEC General Counsel Larry Noble said the arrangement represented “very strong evidence, if not proof, of illegal coordination.”
- After scrutiny over the arrangement intensified, Trump’s 2020 campaign reportedly continued using affiliated firms while routing payments through shell companies.
- James’ campaign website claims eliminating political corruption is his “top priority” and promises ethics clauses throughout his administration.
Read more:
American Journal News report
Published: May 26, 2026 | Last Modified: Jun 8, 2026