Conservative donors have disputed hundreds of campaign contributions sent to Kari Lake, the former Arizona Senate candidate who is now helping Donald Trump dismantle Voice of America.

Even though Lake lost her bid to be a senator from Arizona in November, Federal Election Commission records show that she has continued to collect thousands of small-dollar donations through WinRed, the conservative counterpart to the liberal fundraising platform ActBlue.

Lake’s donations have drawn what political consultants said is a high rate of chargebacks, a reversed charge initiated by a donor’s bank after they dispute the transaction. Chargebacks are often considered a last-resort option for donors who can’t secure refunds. Lake, who once criticized a fellow Republican for a high rate of refunds, has drawn one chargeback for every seven donations in the first quarter of 2025, FEC records show.

At a time when Trump is targeting ActBlue for a Justice Department investigation, critics said Lake’s chargebacks serve as a red flag for potentially questionable fundraising tactics.

Lake did not respond to a request for comment sent to the U.S. Agency for Global Media, Voice of America’s parent agency, where she is working as senior adviser appointed by Trump.

Democratic consultant Julia Rosen said she was taken aback at the high dispute rate: About 15 percent of all Lake’s contributions in the latest campaign finance report were subject to chargebacks, and 16.5 percent of those made through WinRed.

“For a party that preaches morality, it is outrageous that they would treat their own donors this poorly,” she said. “It just shows a level of disrespect that is hard to comprehend.”

Racking Up Chargebacks

Lake, a former local TV news anchor, ran for Arizona governor then senator as a far-right firebrand, distinguishing herself as Trump-loving election denier.

Along the way, Fox News appearances propelled her into a favorite of the MAGA rank and file. Small-dollar donations poured in through WinRed, the juggernaut GOP fundraising platform.

Lake had less luck at the ballot box, however, running far behind Trump........

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