A $25,000 speaking fee for retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn is now at the center of a state investigation into one of Cumberland County’s Republican elections officials.
Bree Eldridge, a Republican member of the Cumberland County Board of Elections, is the subject of a formal complaint accusing her of funneling other people’s money into a $25,000 donation that paid Flynn’s fee at a 2022 GOP fundraiser. The complaints, filed this week with the North Carolina State Board of Elections by longtime campaign‑finance watchdog Bob Hall, also ask state officials to consider removing county elections chair Linda Devore for allegedly failing to report the matter. Hall’s filings rely largely on sworn affidavits from local Republican operatives who say party records list the contribution as “private donations.”
According to WRAL, Hall alleges Eldridge signed the $25,000 check in 2022 but actually collected, and then obscured, donations from others to cover Flynn’s fee. WRAL reports Hall included notarized affidavits from five Cumberland County GOP officials who say the party’s bookkeeping obscured the source of the money and that some donors, including people affiliated with Fort Bragg, wanted anonymity. Hall told reporters he confronted Eldridge before filing the complaints; Eldridge has denied wrongdoing, the filings say.
What the filings say
Reporting by CityView shows the affidavits came from former party chairs, a former commissioner and other local GOP operatives who recount conversations about the $25,000 check. CityView notes Eldridge was chair of the Cumberland County Republican Party in 2022 and joined the county board of elections in 2025; she told at least one complainant she sold stock or used a brokerage account to cover the payment. The filings also contend the party’s audit records listed the sum under vague line items such as “private donations,” which alarmed some members.
State law and possible penalties
As outlined by the North Carolina General Statutes, making a contribution in another person’s name or using someone else’s funds to make a donation can violate Article 22A, and unlawful contributions totaling more than $10,000 per election are a Class I felony. The statute authorizes the State Board of Elections to investigate complaints and to refer apparent violations to the State Ethics Commission and prosecutors for further action. If the board refers the case, the appropriate district attorney would decide whether to bring criminal charges.
Officials’ responses and next steps
County elections chair Linda Devore rejected the allegation, telling The News & Observer, “In 2022, Bree Eldridge made a $25,000 political contribution from her own funds. It was properly reported.” The state Republican Party released a statement backing Eldridge and Devore and calling Hall’s filings a partisan smear, according to WRAL. A spokesperson for the State Board said the agency will review the filings but declined to discuss investigative details; the board’s external‑affairs director has said there is no set timeline for such inquiries.
For local voters and elections staff, the filings add another layer of scrutiny to a county board that has seen earlier complaints and public criticism. CityView reports the Flynn event drew hundreds of attendees and that ticket sales left the party with a net gain, which Hall says is part of the fundraising picture. The State Board now has the complaints and related affidavits; investigators may open a confidential inquiry and could ultimately refer any apparent violations to prosecutors, a process that can take weeks or months.
