Robert F. Hyde
Robert Finley Hyde is an American businessman, lobbyist, and political candidate. Hyde gained attention during the first impeachment of Donald Trump as a figure associated with the Trump–Ukraine scandal. He runs a lobbying firm, Finley Hyde & Associates, in Washington, D.C.[1]
Robert F. Hyde | |
|---|---|
| Personal details | |
| Born | Robert Finley Hyde |
| Political party | Republican |
| Alma mater | Central Connecticut State University |
| Occupation | Businessman, lobbyist, political candidate |
| Known for | Association with the Trump–Ukraine scandal |
| Military service | |
| Branch/service |  United States Marine Corps |
| Years of service | 1995–2005 |
Early life
Hyde was raised in Canton, Connecticut, and attended Central Connecticut State University.[2] He has said that he served in the United States Marine Corps from 1999 to 2005 that he was deployed twice to Iraq.[2] He started a landscape company, RF Landscaping and Construction, in 2000.[2][3]
Career
Politics
In June 2019, Hyde filed to challenge Senator Richard Blumenthal in the 2022 United States Senate elections.[2] In August 2019, Hyde launched a congressional campaign to unseat Jahana Hayes.[1]
Following sexually crude comments Hyde made about Kamala Harris, Connecticut Republicans called on Hyde to end his campaign, and the Connecticut Republican Party refunded the contributions he made to the party.[1][4][5]
Hyde opposes red flag laws and universal background checks, and supports legalizing recreational marijuana use.[2]
Hyde has promoted the far-right QAnon conspiracy theory.[6][7][8]
Hyde has made monetary contributions to various politicians, candidates, and organizations, including Donald Trump, Devin Nunes, Greg Pence, Patrick Morrisey, Jim Renacci, America First Action, and the Tea Party Majority Fund.[9] Finley Enterprises LLC, which runs Finley's campaign page, managed several pro-Trump Facebook pages that would later be suspended by Facebook for coordinated inauthentic behavior.[10]
Trump–Ukraine scandal
| Trump–Ukraine scandal |
|---|
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| Events |
| People |
| Companies |
| Conspiracy theories |
Hyde was in communication with Lev Parnas, and reportedly had associates in Ukraine monitoring the movements of then-Ambassador Marie Yovanovitch.[1][11] Hyde shared timely information about the ambassador's movements, location and security coverage: "She's talked to three people. Her phone is off. Computer is off. She's next to the embassy… Private security." and "They will let me know when she’s on the move… They are willing to help if you/we would like a price." The revelations were of great concern to various former foreign service officers[12] and the former ambassador asked for an investigation into this activity.[13] In a subsequent interview with Eric Bolling, Hyde claimed that he was joking.[14]
In an interview with Rachel Maddow on MSNBC on January 15, 2020, Lev Parnas said he did not believe that Hyde was being truthful, though he identified many other alleged participants discussing their roles in the Trump–Ukraine scandal. He also attributed Hyde's behavior to being "drunk all the time."[15][16]
On January 16, 2020, Hyde's home and office in Connecticut were searched by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.[17]
Legal issues
In May 2011 in Avon, Connecticut, Hyde was arrested and charged with reckless endangerment after his landscape company felled a tree onto an overhead power line.[14][18][2] According to Hyde, the case was later dropped and the fine covered by his insurance provider.[2]
In May 2019, Hyde was taken into police custody at the Trump National Doral Miami after telling an officer that "a hit man was out to get [him]", and was detained under the Florida Mental Health Act and Marchman Act.[19][20]
In 2019, Hyde was also reported to police for trespassing at the First Church of Christ in Connecticut.[21][22]
In November 2019, Hyde was compelled by a magistrate to make child support payments to Jennyfer Morin to support their 13-year-old child.[20][23] He was also sued by Between the Bridges, LLC for failing to pay fees owed to a marina in Old Saybrook, Connecticut in January 2019, and by a landlord in Simsbury, Connecticut in February 2019 over unpaid rent.[23][2]
Hyde violated a restraining order issued by a judge in Washington, D.C., ordering him to stay away from a political consultant who said Hyde was stalking her, leading police to confiscate three rifles and two shotguns from him.[22][21]
Personal life
Hyde is legally deaf, and uses a service dog, a German Shepherd named Thunder.[2]
References
- Sommer, Will; Swan, Betsy (January 25, 2020). "Meet the Trump Donor Who Allegedly Stalked America's Ambassador in Ukraine". The Daily Beast.
- Munson, Emilie (December 1, 2019). "CT congressional candidate in Trump's inner circle - or is he?". Connecticut Post. Archived from the original on January 15, 2020.
- Better Business Bureau. "RF Landscaping and Construction LLC". Archived from the original on January 15, 2020.
Business Incorporated: 3/29/2000 in CT
{{cite web}}:|author=has generic name (help) - Connecticut Republican Party [@CTGOP] (December 18, 2019). "The CT GOP is refunding donations provided by Mr. Rob Hyde in light of his vile comments on Twitter" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- Altimari, Daniela; Keating, Christopher (December 18, 2019). "Republican candidate's "disgusting" tweet draws widespread condemnation from both sides of the aisle". Hartford Courant.
- Relman, Eliza. "A Trump donor who allegedly surveilled former ambassador Marie Yovanovitch in Ukraine has promoted the right-wing 'QAnon' conspiracy theory". Business Insider. Retrieved January 17, 2020.
- thewritingbum (January 15, 2020). "Robert Hyde, newest player in Trump's impeachment, has QAnon ties". The Daily Dot. Retrieved January 17, 2020.
- "Here's What Giuliani's Associate Lev Parnas Was Sharing On WhatsApp As He Investigated The Ukraine Conspiracy Theory". BuzzFeed News. Retrieved January 17, 2020.
- "Donor Lookup". OpenSecrets.
- Ballhaus, Rebecca (January 17, 2020). "Coordinated Posts Defend Connecticut Man Who Exchanged Ukraine Texts". The Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on January 18, 2020.
Several of the pro-Trump pages list as their owner Finley Enterprises LLC, the same company listed as the owner on Mr. Hyde's campaign page. The email listed under several of the pages contact information is rfhyde1@gmail.com, which echoes Hyde for Congress's @rfhyde1 Twitter handle.
- Orden, Erica; Scannell, Kara (January 15, 2020). "Trump supporter and Giuliani associate discussed surveilling Yovanovitch". CNN.
In a series of text messages with Giuliani associate Lev Parnas in March 2019, Hyde, an ardent supporter of President Donald Trump who has donated thousands of dollars to Republican politics and the Trump campaign, discussed Yovanovitch's whereabouts in Ukraine [...] In Hyde's exchanges with Parnas, Hyde indicated he had knowledge of Yovanovitch's whereabouts and level of security.
- Levin, Bess (January 15, 2020). ""A Mob Hit": New Evidence Suggests Disturbing Scheme by Trump's Ukraine Goons Against Marie Yovanovitch". Vanity Fair. Retrieved January 16, 2020.
- Hansler, Jennifer (January 15, 2020). "Yovanovitch calls for investigation into 'disturbing' surveillance as ex-diplomats outraged over her treatment". CNN. Retrieved January 16, 2020.
- Rothfeld, Michael; Rashbaum, William K.; Protess, Ben (January 15, 2020). "Robert Hyde, Erratic Ex-Landscaper, Is Unlikely New Impeachment Figure". The New York Times. Archived from the original on January 16, 2020.
- Robert Hyde talks to Eric Bolling ahead of Lev Parnass interview with Rachel Maddow, Daily Beast, January 15, 2020. Retrieved January 16, 2020.
- Martin, Jeffery (January 15, 2020). "Lev Parnas claims Yovanovitch was targeted to get her out of possible Biden probe, says Hyde was "drunk the whole time"". Newsweek. Retrieved January 22, 2020.
- Rothfeld, Michael; Rashbaum, William K.; Protess, Ben (January 15, 2020). "Robert Hyde, Erratic Ex-Landscaper, Is Unlikely New Impeachment Figure". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved January 16, 2020.
- Sawyer, Jessie (May 25, 2011). "Unionville Resident Charged with DUI and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia". Patch Media. Archived from the original on January 15, 2020.
Robert Finley Hyde… was arrested on a warrant on charges of second-degree reckless endangerment… on May 22. On April 17, Jackson Street residents hired Hyde to remove a tree… did not secure properly. The tree fell on a Connecticut Light and Power pole… breaking it in half… released him on a $500 non-surety bond… to appear in court on June 1.
- Corn, David (January 15, 2020). "New Figure in Ukraine Scandal Was Taken Into Police Custody at Trump Resort Last Year". Mother Jones. Archived from the original on January 15, 2020.
- Altimari, Daniela (January 14, 2020). "Who is the Robert F. Hyde who surfaced in House Intelligence Committee documents?". Hartford Courant.
- Fang, Lee (January 15, 2020). "Trump Supporter Who Discussed Surveillance of Ambassador Marie Yovanovitch Has History of Stalking, Mental Health Issues". The Intercept.
- Fawcett, Eliza; Altimari, Daniela; Owens, David (January 15, 2020). "After protective order, Simsbury police took firearms, ammunition from Robert Hyde, who is tied to tracking of former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine". Hartford Courant.
- Altimari, Daniela (December 19, 2019). "Republican candidate who made sexist comment about Kamala Harris owed thousands in child support while making big donations to Trump, GOP causes". Hartford Courant. Archived from the original on January 15, 2020.