Consulting firm tied to Proud Boys is sole beneficiary of PAC

The owner of McShane LLC, the political consulting company that arranged to recruit Proud Boys to attend a post-presidential election protest and rally in North Las Vegas, set up a political action committee in Nevada that has one benefactor — McShane LLC. 

The PAC was registered in Nevada by Rob Burgess, who served as Chief of Staff for McShane LLC as recently as April, according to his LinkedIn page.

The Take Back the West PAC raised $78,900 in 2020 and spent $20,279 — all of it paid to McShane LLC, according to records from the Secretary of State. The bulk of the money — $50,000 — came from the South Point Hotel and Casino five days after the election. The Nevada Republican Party contributed $15,000.   

McShane LLC principal Rory McShane asked the Current to submit questions regarding the PAC via text but did not respond.

In a Facebook interview recorded after the election, McShane and former Clark County School Board trustee Kevin Child solicit contributions to the Take Back the West PAC to unearth voting fraud in the presidential election. 

“We need money to fuel this from our side,” says Child, a longtime friend and confidant of State Republican Party Chairman Michael McDonald.  “Yes, when you talk about George Soros — that’s why Rory started that PAC, Take Back the West. Give us the money so we can go out and fight for all of you.”

“Kevin knows because Kevin has been like a soulmate to me through this whole thing,” McShane says in the video of the effort to “uncover these cases of fraud.”

A report issued by the The Nevada Secretary of State’s office in April found GOP allegations “do not amount to evidentiary support for the contention that the 2020 general election was plagued by widespread voter fraud.” That report echoes the findings of multiple court rulings that tossed GOP and Trump campaign lawsuits for failing to provide evidence backing up their allegations about the 2020 election.

In the video, McShane goes on to say Take Back the West is “a federally compliant super PAC, not in coordination with any campaigns or candidate.” 

“That helps us out,” Child says. “It really does immensely. It helps people like Rory, myself and the chairman (McDonald) get out the message and find these people and get the affidavits.” 

On Thursday, Child confirmed the PAC’s origin. 

“Rory set it up. He’s had it for a while,” Child told the Current.

“I just helped raise some money because of what was going on in Nevada,” he said. 

“It doesn’t surprise me,” says Clark County Republican Party chairman David Sajdak. “Isn’t that a little double dealing? Is that even legal?” 

The Nevada Secretary of State did not immediately respond to questions about whether PACs may benefit those who establish them.

A federal PAC also called Take Back the West raised $647,795 in 2020, according to Federal Election Commission records.  Olexsandra Ruffin, wife of Trump business partner Phil Ruffin, contributed $500,000, and developer Richard MacDonald contributed $146,442.  

The initial treasurer of that PAC was also Burgess.  He has been replaced by Wyatt Metzger, also an employee of McShane LLC, according to his LinkedIn account.

Federal election law requires the treasurer to approve or appoint an individual to approve expenditures.

The PAC paid $72,442 to McShane LLC for advertising opposing Joe Biden and $495,000 supporting Trump, according to the records.  

The federal PAC, which has been operation for just one cycle, has received at least five notices from the FEC identifying inconsistencies in reporting and requesting corrections.