U.S. Senator Jon Husted (R-Ohio) has directed his campaign to donate "Wexner's money" to charity, Husted's Communications Director Tyson Shepard told 21 News. 

21 News verified in a report earlier this month that the senator's campaign fund received $3,500 in July of 2025 from Les Wexner, an alleged co-conspirator of deceased convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein; Husted's opponent Sherrod Brown also alleged that the senator's campaigns had accepted thousands of dollars in additional funds from Wexner in years prior.

Husted joins U.S. Representatives Mike Carey (OH-15) and Joyce Beatty (OH-3) in donating any campaign funds contributed by Wexner. 

According to the Federal Elections Commission, the three federal politicians received $3,500 each in 2025.

On February 14 Carey said in a post on X that he will be donating "all campaign contributions from the Wexners to organizations aimed at preventing human trafficking and supporting victims."

"After I voted to release the entirety of the Epstein files, disturbing details emerged regarding Les Wexner's ties to Jeffrey Epstein. Epstein was a profoundly evil man whose crimes destroyed countless innocent lives," Carey said in the post.

Husted previously told 21 News in a statement that he also supported the release of all documents related to Epstein.

"I will continue to work with my colleagues and the Administration to ensure the release of DOJ materials is carried out pursuant to the law," Husted stated.

In a February 13 Facebook post Beatty stated that she will be donating campaign contributions received from Wexner to local organizations that support survivors of sex trafficking and abuse. She added that her thoughts remain with the "survivors of Jeffrey Epstein's sex trafficking and abuse."

"Mr. Wexner must answer all questions under oath. If he participated in or enabled these crimes, he must be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law," Beatty stated in her post.

In a Wednesday deposition in front of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, Wexner denied firsthand knowledge of Epstein's activities. The congressional committee released the full video of Wexner's deposition on Thursday.

21 News has reached out to Husted, Beatty and Carey's offices but it is currently unclear what specific charities will benefit from the funds.

 

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