When U.S. Rep. Seth Magaziner dialed the treasurer of a newly formed super PAC that just pumped nearly $41,000 to support his Republican opponent in Rhode Island’s 2nd Congressional District race, he wanted a straight answer about why out-of-state money was targeting his district. But after posting a video of the recorded conversation to his social media pages, the Democratic incumbent quietly deleted the footage, sparking fresh questions about interstate communication and state recording laws, rhodeislandcurrent.com reported.
PAC Spends Thousands Supporting Republican Challenger Vic Mellor
The controversy centers on Common Sense America PAC, a political action committee registered in Rockville, Maryland, that reported $40,600 in independent expenditures exclusively to support Republican challenger Vic Mellor on October 21 and 22. The group’s advertising expenditures involved Google, Roku, Paramount, and Disney platforms. Intrigued by the sudden influx of outside cash, Magaziner called the PAC’s treasurer, Hong Chuan Liang, and recorded the exchange without explicitly stating the call was being logged.
Liang learned he had become part of campaign material only after the fact. That distinction matters significantly across state lines. Because Liang picked up the phone in Maryland, local regulations mandate that every participant consent to any call recording; failing to do so constitutes a felony carrying a maximum sentence of five years behind bars and a $10,000 penalty. Magaziner made the call from Rhode Island, where one-party consent generally suffices. Federal law also leans toward one-party consent, but state courts have occasionally allowed stricter local statutes to govern interstate communications.
Campaign spokesperson Jess Vaughn told Rhode Island Current that the posts were taken down Thursday “out of an abundance of caution” following a legal review. Even with the video gone, Magaziner isn’t backing down from his core critique.
Rhode Islanders should have no patience for an out-of-state super PAC supporting out-of-state candidate Vic Mellor’s campaign to be a rubber stamp for Donald Trump’s agenda in Congress.
Despite receiving no comment from Mellor’s campaign regarding the super PAC, the candidate utilized X across Tuesday and Wednesday to defend its backers, turning the tables on the incumbent by highlighting external financial support for the Democrat and drawing attention to an $800,000 personal loan Mellor’s opponent had contributed to his own initial 2022 congressional bid.
Inside the Mechanics of Common Sense America PAC
Federal Election Commission records show that Common Sense America PAC officially registered on October 5. Its paperwork lists an address in a Rockville business park situated behind a community college, sharing its footprint with a mortgage brokerage and title company. Liang, 63, described himself as a nearly retired participant whose sole responsibility is ensuring federal regulatory compliance.
“I don’t own the PAC — I’m not the decision maker,” Liang explained to Rhode Island Current. He previously served as treasurer for Common Sense Maryland, a 2024 super PAC that backed Donald Trump’s reelection and opposed Democratic congressional candidate April McClain Delaney. Liang declined to name the individuals behind Common Sense America PAC, noting only that several supporters immigrated from communist countries and appreciate American freedoms.
Through October 14, the PAC raised $8,950, which included $8,750 in itemized donations from six individuals spread across Maryland, Virginia, and New York. Among them is Peiliang Cui, a Virginia financial adviser previously tied to Act 4 Greater America Corp., an organization whose 2021 IRS filing outlined a mission centered on promoting Christian foundation, socially conservative, and traditional values. The FEC penalized Cui $5,455 in December 2021 for filing that group’s 2020 year-end report past the deadline. Cui did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Liang Characterizes Grassroots Conservative Outfit as Focused on Tradition
While the PAC’s website speaks broadly about informed civic participation and responsible government, Liang characterized the group as a grassroots conservative outfit focused on law and order, security, Christianity, and traditional values.
Department of Justice filings from June show Mellor registered as a foreign agent for work involving Cuba’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He defended the journey in a July statement, calling it a humanitarian trip during which meetings with Cuban officials materialized organically.
Despite the late surge of outside spending, polling suggests the race leans toward the incumbent. A Pell Center at Salve Regina University survey published October 20 showed Magaziner holding 52% of likely voter support compared to Mellor’s 39%, with 7% undecided. Those figures closely mirror an WPRI/Emerson College poll from October 13 showing a 55% to 39% split.
Sen. Jack Reed in 1991. Republicans saw their best chance in years to flip the seat in 2022, when longtime Democratic Rep. Jim Langevin’s retirement opened the race during a midterm election year that favored the party nationally. Magaziner defeated former Cranston Mayor Allan Fung—who had made two previous bids for the governorship—by a margin of roughly four percentage points despite millions of dollars in outside spending flooding the contest.
