Legality of Donations Called Into Question
The Laramie County Sheriff’s Office has launched a formal investigation into bribery allegations after a political activist was caught on camera handing out campaign checks to lawmakers on the floor of the Wyoming House.
The probe, announced late Saturday by Sheriff Brian Kozak, escalates a political uproar that has sidelined much of the work in the first week of the 2026 Budget Session. Investigators are now trying to determine if the distribution of at least $15,000 in checks constitutes a felony violation of state bribery laws.
On Monday, Feb. 9, 2026, after the day’s adjournment, activist Rebecca Bextel of Teton County was seen moving through the chamber with a stack of envelopes. Rep. Karlee Provenza (D-Laramie) caught the moment on camera, snapping a photo of Bextel handing a check to Rep. Darin McCann (R-Rock Springs).
The donor was identified on Friday as Don Grasso, a Teton County businessman. Grasso confirmed he issued 10 separate checks, each for the $1,500 legal limit, intended for high-ranking lawmakers, including House Speaker Chip Neiman (R-Hulett) and Wyoming Freedom Caucus Chairman John Bear (R-Gillette).
The criminal inquiry centers on the timing of those donations. The checks landed just 48 hours before the House debated House Bill 141, a measure sponsored by Bear and Neiman that would stop cities from charging “housing mitigation fees” to developers.
Bextel has long campaigned against those fees. During a Wednesday floor debate, Rep. Mike Yin (D-Jackson) raised concerns about the “bad optics” of the checks in relation to the bill. His comments were initially met with a formal protest from Freedom Caucus members, who labeled the allegations “defamatory.”
Under Wyo. Stat. § 6-5-102, bribery occurs if a person offers a financial benefit to influence a public servant’s “vote, exercise of discretion, or other action in his official capacity.” In Wyoming, bribery is a felony that carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a $5,000 fine.
While the checks were handed out in Cheyenne, the uproar began in Laramie. Provenza’s photo of the exchange provided the spark for the investigation and served as the primary evidence for the House’s unanimous vote to launch a misconduct probe.
Provenza called the move a “dishonorable” breach of legislative integrity that she says threatened the transparency of the entire 68th Budget Session.
This sentiment was echoed in the upper chamber by Senator Chris Rothfuss (D-Laramie). He has used his position on the Senate Rules Committee to push for a permanent ban on campaign donations within the Capitol to prevent the “unconscionable” appearance of vote-buying.
The consequences of the investigation carry high stakes for the Laramie community, where local control and economic stability hang in the balance. The housing bill at the center of the donor’s interest, HB 141, would effectively strip the Laramie City Council of its power to manage its own workforce housing shortage through developer fees—a policy the donor, Don Grasso, has actively sought to dismantle.
The response to the scandal has now split into three separate inquiries. Sheriff Brian Kozak stated that his office, prompted by community complaints and media reports, is currently reviewing Capitol security footage and interview transcripts, stressing that “our community deserves full transparency” and that “alleged criminal conduct involving our lawmakers deserves no less than a thorough investigation.”
This criminal probe runs alongside a House-mandated internal review by a seven-member special committee, including Representatives Justin Fornstrom (R-Pine Bluffs) and Ivan Posey (D-Fort Washakie), which is tasked with reporting its initial findings on legislative misconduct by the end of the week.
At the same time, the Wyoming Senate has issued its own unanimous 31-0 condemnation of the act while leadership drafts new regulations to ensure the Capitol floor stays out of the campaign fundraising business.
