Traitorous Senate Republicans joined Democrats to keep funding the U.S. African Development Foundation, even after the agency’s own leadership acknowledged corruption and DOGE flagged it for fraud.
“The USADF Director of Financial Management’s fraudulent acts betrayed the trust of the American people,” said Acting Assistant Inspector General for Investigations Sean M. Bottary. “As the Inspector General with continued oversight jurisdiction over U.S.-funded foreign assistance, we will utilize our global investigative reach to aggressively detect and disrupt those who defraud taxpayer dollars programmed overseas.”
BOMBSHELL from Sen. Mike Lee on the Senate floor:
The U.S. African Development Foundation (USADF) is a publicly admitted fraud machine—and Congress just voted to KEEP funding it!
This morning, DOJ announced USADF’s CFO, Mathieu Zahui, charged and pleading guilty to TWO… pic.twitter.com/KVqbBlrLNw
— Max Creel (@myc19631) January 31, 2026
The CFO of the U.S. African Development Foundation just pled guilty to corruption and bribery charges.
So why is Congress about to shovel more money into USADF? pic.twitter.com/1A6ZJI4Gck
— Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) January 30, 2026
SENATE UNIPARTY CAUCUS: On the SAME DAY the DOJ announced U.S. African Development Foundation (USADF) CFO pleaded guilty to kickbacks via Kenyan shell companies & lying to feds, Senate VOTED DOWN @BasedMikeLee‘s amendment to defund this fraud-ridden “trash” agency (per its own… pic.twitter.com/L3yxEPIEgR
— Publius (@OcrazioCornPop) January 31, 2026
Senator Mike Lee Lee warned the vote would funnel billions in taxpayer dollars into earmarks for priorities voters never approved—ranging from aid tied to illegal immigration to controversial social programs—while GOP lawmakers who once boasted about backing DOGE quietly reversed course. The effort to defund USADF was backed by the agency’s acting chairman and CEO themselves, yet a bloc of Republican senators broke ranks to kill it. Critics argue the episode exposes how entrenched NGO funding pipelines—long fueled by U.S. aid dollars—prop up activist networks and Democratic fundraising, and why attempts to shut them down trigger fierce resistance from both parties’ establishments.
Senator Mike Lee FUMES after Senate Republicans vote to FUND the US African Development Foundation despite its leader admitting to CORRUPTION, and DOGE confirming it’s fraud
“This vote to defund USADF was supported by the acting chairman and CEO of USADF itself and his
BREAKING: Sen. Mike Lee FUMES after Senate Republicans vote to FUND the US African Development Foundation despite its leader admitting to CORRUPTION, and DOGE confirming it’s fraud
“This vote to defund USADF was supported by the acting chairman and CEO of USADF itself and his… https://t.co/1wsG0OzHLV pic.twitter.com/1elDmSrx8f
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) January 30, 2026
The Senate is about to throw 7 billion dollars of your money at earmarks for aid to illegals, puberty blockers for kids, and charging stations for electric vehicles, among other things.
Remember when every Republican bragged about supporting DOGE?
The Senate is about to throw 7 billion dollars of your money at earmarks for aid to illegals, puberty blockers for kids, and charging stations for electric vehicles, among other things.
Remember when every Republican bragged about supporting DOGE? pic.twitter.com/J7gzSbZhbD
— Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) January 30, 2026
List of Republicans that killed Mike Lee’s effort to defund the United States African Development Foundation which was plagued by waste, fraud, and abuse.
Boozman (R-AR)
Capito (R-WV)
Collins (R-ME)
Cramer (R-ND)
Graham (R-SC)
Hoeven (R-ND)
McConnell (R-KY)
Moran (R-KS)… https://t.co/1opuaRDCVw— Mark Lucas
(@MarkLucasUSA) January 31, 2026
Weird … as soon as USAID was shutdown, the Democrats started having difficulty raising money.
All of those billions of tax dollars funding their NGO networks and their thousands of activists … they can’t donate any more to their Democrats. https://t.co/CGS4K4heH9 pic.twitter.com/twlCy0COml
— Wall Street Mav (@WallStreetMav) January 31, 2026
As soon as USAID was shutdown, the Democrats started having difficulty raising money.
All of those billions of tax dollars funding their NGO networks and their thousands of activists … they can’t donate any more to their Democrats.
RINOs: These 11 Republicans know the USADF was being run by criminals funding criminals. Despite this they each voted to keep funding it. https://t.co/VdnI2VSYFx pic.twitter.com/GJAAF0DxPq
— @amuse (@amuse) January 31, 2026
Today prosecutors from @USAO_DC held another criminal defrauding U.S. taxpayers accountable.
Mathieu Zahui, the former Director of Financial Management for the United States African Development Foundation, plead guilty to receiving cash payouts from a government contractor and… pic.twitter.com/Otcpm3KGDi
— U.S. Attorney DC (@USAO_DC) January 30, 2026
On the same day the DOJ announced U.S. African Development Foundation (USADF) CFO pleaded guilty to kickbacks via Kenyan shell companies & lying to feds, Senate voted DOWN Senator Mike Lee’s amendment to defund this fraud-ridden “trash” agency (per its own CEO).
CFO pleaded guilty to two felonies for kickbacks (by Zelle)
– Refused President Trump’s authority.
– Bragged about blocking DOGE from entry.
– Hired firms to attack whistleblowers.
– Sent money to non-existent offices.
IS YOUR SENATOR ON THE LIST?
List of Republicans that killed Mike Lee’s effort to defund the United States African Development Foundation which was plagued by waste, fraud, and abuse.
Boozman (AR)
Britt (AL)
Capito (WV)
Collins (ME)
Cotton (AR)
Fischer (NE)
Graham (SC)
Husted (OH)
Hyde-Smith (MS)
Kennedy (LA)
McConnell (KY)
Moran (KS)
Mullin (OK)
Murkowski (AK)
Rounds (SD)
Sheehy (MT)
Sullivan (AK)
Thune (SD)
Tillis (NC)
Wicker (MS)
BOMBSHELL from Sen. Mike Lee on the Senate floor:
(@MarkLucasUSA)