Wisconsin candidate for governor Tom Tiffany accepted political donation from dead Texas man

Republican nominee for Wisconsin governor Tom Tiffany received more than the max contribution from one donor and has accepted the max from a person who has died.

In 2025, Tiffany’s campaign accepted $20,000 from Richard E. Clack of Windsor in October and then accepted another $20,000 from Clack in December, totaling $40,000, according to campaign finance records.

According to state law, the maximum amount an individual can contribute to a political campaign is $20,000.

Tiffany’s campaign returned half of the overmax $40,000 donation, but he has yet to return a donation from someone who died.

On Dec. 29, 2025, Tiffany accepted $20,000 from Darwin Deason of Dallas, Texas. But Deason died on Dec. 2 that same year, according to Southern Methodist University.

“Deason was a deeply respected Dallas business leader and a generous supporter of and friend to the University,” a SMU news release states. “Deason is chairman of Deason Capital Services (DCS) and president of the Deason Foundation, which supports Christian agencies and churches, education and medical research. Darwin Deason was born in Rogers, Arkansas.”

Despite receiving the donation 27 days after Deason died, the Tiffany campaign has yet to return the funds.

State law states: “No person may, directly or indirectly, make any contribution other than from funds or property belonging to the contributor. No person may, directly or indirectly, furnish funds or property to another person for the purpose of making a contribution in other than the person's own name. No person may intentionally accept or receive any contribution made in violation of this subsection.”

Tiffany’s campaign didn’t respond to a request for comment.