[SUP]Jesse Benton is a "consultant" for Great America PAC CREDIT: THE TELEGRAPH[/SUP]
Jesse Benton | A "consultant" for Great America PAC
A long-time Republican activist, Jesse Benton, 39, ran high-profile campaigns for presidential and senate candidates and held senior positions at several political organisations. He was hired by the pro-Trump Great America super PAC as chief strategist in March 2016.
However, he is best known among Capitol Hill circles for his connection to an electoral fraud scandal during Ron Paul's 2012 presidential election campaign, which he worked on as campaign manager.
In May 2016, Mr Benton was convicted for his role in a scheme to cover up campaign payments to a former Iowa state senator who agreed to endorse Mr Paul.
Along with John Tate, Mr Paul's campaign chairman, Mr Benton was found guilty of conspiracy, causing false campaign-contribution reports to be filed to the Federal Election Commission and participating in a false statement scheme.
They were both sentenced to two years' probation, six months of house arrest, community service and a $10,000 fine. Following his conviction, Benton’s formal employment by Great America PAC ended, but he continued to work for the organisation in a voluntary capacity.
Benton is a close ally of the Paul family, having worked as a senior aide to Ron Paul as well as to his son Rand Paul, who is Senator of Kentucky.
He is married to Ron Paul’s granddaughter Valori Pyeatt, whom he met while working on Ron Paul’s 2008 presidential campaign. Benton was also senior vice president at Campaign for Liberty, an organisation founded by Ron Paul, until 2012.
He has set up his own companies, including a political consultancy firm CIC Solutions, based in Washington DC, and Titan Strategies LLC, and has held senior positions at various lobbying groups.
Originally from Philadelphia, he now lives in Kentucky with his wife Valori and their daughter.
