N.C. state Rep. Sarah Stevens received a $6,800 campaign donation for her N.C. Supreme Court campaign from lobbyist Harold Brubaker, a former speaker of the North Carolina House. (Photo: NCGA)
A $6,800 donation from a longtime lobbyist to Rep. Sarah Stevens’ campaign for North Carolina Supreme Court appears to violate a state law that bars lobbyists from contributing to sitting legislators — regardless of the office they are running for.
The contribution came from Harold Brubaker, a registered lobbyist and a former speaker of the North Carolina House, who served more than 30 years in the legislature before becoming one of Raleigh’s most influential lobbyists. Brubaker donated to “Stevens for Justice,” the judicial campaign committee for Stevens, a Republican from Surry County who currently serves in the North Carolina House and is seeking a seat on the state’s highest court in 2026. The donation was made on June 23.
While judicial candidates may legally accept contributions from lobbyists, North Carolina law prohibits lobbyists from donating to any legislator while that individual is serving in that office.
That prohibition extends to all campaign committees associated with the officeholder, including committees for different elections. The intent is to prevent lobbyists from influencing sitting lawmakers through campaign cash — regardless of what future political plans those legislators may have.
Brubaker’s donation, made in the first half of 2025 and disclosed in the “Stevens for Justice” mid-year campaign finance report, appears to run afoul of that restriction.
Brubaker told NC Newsline that the donation is “legal” before hanging up on a reporter.
Stevens said Brubaker “knows lobbyists can’t give to members during session,” but said his contribution was for her judicial campaign, not her legislative one. She added, “He did not give to me as a member. He gave to me as a judicial candidate.”
North Carolina State Board of Elections didn’t respond to a request for comment.
But under the statute, registered lobbyists are prohibited from contributing to legislators or candidates for the General Assembly during active session, even if that legislator is running for a different office. The Legislature was still in session on June 23 when the donation was made. The law contains narrow exceptions, such as a lobbyist contributing to their own campaign, but none apply to this situation.
“Unless Brubaker resigned as a lobbyist before June 23, it looks very much like an illegal contribution,” said Bob Hall, longtime campaign finance watchdog and former executive director of Democracy North Carolina. “It’s a $6,800 contribution, regulated by state law, to a North Carolina candidate’s committee from a registered lobbyist to a sitting state legislator.”
Brubaker was still a registered lobbyist as of June 23.
“It would be different if this was a contribution to a federal candidate’s committee that is not regulated by state law — which happened last year when several lobbyists got away with donating to Tim Moore’s congressional campaign while they were lobbying him as Speaker of the House,” Hall added.
Stevens, who has served in the House since 2009, was elected Speaker Pro Tempore in 2017. She announced her bid for the state Supreme Court in May. The $6,800 Brubaker contribution matches the maximum allowed from an individual donor under current state limits.
Stevens has reported raising about $141,000 since announcing her run in May, according to campaign finance reports. Among her donors are Macon Newby, wife of Republican Chief Justice Paul Newby, and Brent Barringer, husband of Republican Justice Tamara Barringer. Newby gave $3,800, while Barringer gave the maximum $6,800.
Steven’s challenger, North Carolina Supreme Court Justice Anita Earls, has raised four times as much with a four-month fundraising head start. Earls, a Democrat and the court’s senior associate justice, reported raising more than $580,000 for the first six months of the year.Hence then, the article about lobbyist s 6 800 donation to rep sarah stevens supreme court campaign likely violates state law was published today ( ) and is available on NC news line ( Middle East ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
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