Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., used campaign funds to pay for a subscription to Netflix from January to March despite his long-running criticism of the streaming service’s tax practices, Federal Election Commission records show.

Over the years, Sanders has repeatedly criticized Netflix for allegedly not paying its «fair share» of taxes and for raising prices on consumers as its executives grow wealthier. In contrast to these criticisms, the senator’s campaign began paying the streaming service $46.79 a month in January to cover a «subscription.» 

«Corporate greed is Netflix doubling its profit last year to a record $5.3 billion, avoiding over $1 billion in taxes [and] blaming a 10.7% price increase on ‘inflation’ squeezing $1.35 billion from its 75 million subscribers while its CEO became $200 million richer in the pandemic,» Sanders wrote in March 2022.

Sanders has also, on multiple occasions, criticized Netflix for paying $0 in federal taxes. Netflix has sharply reduced its federal tax liability for some years by using a variety of corporate tax credits.

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«Your $8.99 Netflix subscription is more than the company paid in federal income taxes last year (nothing),» the senator posted to social media in 2019. «We are going to make massive corporations finally pay their fair share.»

Senate campaigns have only released their financial information up to March, meaning that Sanders’ donor-funded Netflix subscription may be ongoing.

Sanders’ campaign did not respond to a request for comment after being reached by Fox News Digital Tuesday morning.

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Sen. Bernie Sanders, an Independent from Vermont and ranking member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, arrives for a confirmation hearing in Washington, D.C., on July 16, 2025. (Valerie Plesch/Bloomberg)

The Vermont senator has faced criticism in the past over his use of campaign funds.

In 2023, Sanders transferred $200,000 in donor cash to the Sanders Institute, a nonprofit organization run by his wife and stepson. Since then, Sanders has continued to semi-regularly use his campaign account to fund his family charity.

«The facts present in this case and the family ties involved certainly raise legitimate concern,» Kendra Arnold, executive director of the Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust, told Fox News Digital at the time. «If the nonprofit and its executive director are truly producing work and actually earning the money, it is not illegal, but it is frowned upon. On the other hand, if nothing or very little is being done to legitimately earn the money, then it is highly likely a serious campaign finance violation has taken place.»

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Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., is seen in the Senate subway on Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc)

The over $550,000 in donor funds Sanders in donor funds Sanders spent on private jets during his 2025 «Fighting Oligarchy» tour has also fallen under scrutiny.

«You don’t expect a socialist to fly commercial do you?» conservative political communications consultant Matt Gorman said. «There’s no bigger hypocrite than the liberal who chastises us for eating meat and using gas stoves, yet flies in private jets.»

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Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates interviewed Sanders for a segment in his Netflix original series titled «What’s Next? The Future with Bill Gates» in 2024.

The senator’s use of campaign funds to pay for a streaming service is relatively unusual. 

Campaign finance records show that only five political committees, including one belonging to Sanders, have made payments to Netflix for expenses described as some form of subscription over the past ten years.

Separatists in Alberta declared they now have enough signatures to trigger a vote on the province leaving Canada. 

The Stay Free Alberta group said Monday it formally submitted almost 302,000 signatures after needing 178,000 names to force the province to consider such a ballot measure. The question of separation could go on a province-wide ballot as early as October, as Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has said she would move forward if enough names are gathered and verified.   

«This day is historic in Alberta history,» Mitch Sylvestre, the head of Stay Free Alberta, said Monday as he arrived at the Elections Alberta office in Edmonton leading a convoy of seven trucks to deliver the names. «It’s the first step to the next step — we’ve gotten by Round 3, and now we’re in the Stanley Cup final.» 

Smith has said she personally does not support the oil-rich province leaving Canada, but she has accused previous federal Liberal governments of introducing legislation that hamstrings Alberta’s ability to produce and export oil, which she said has cost the province billions of dollars, and noted that she doesn’t want the federal government meddling in provincial issues, according to The Associated Press.

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More than 300 supporters gathered in Edmonton on Monday, waving the provincial flag and chanting «Alberta strong.» 

A «yes» vote would not trigger independence automatically, as negotiations with the federal government would have to take place. 

Daniel Béland, a political science professor at McGill University in Montreal, told the AP that despite the independence effort, liberal Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney «is indeed popular, even in Alberta.»

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Mitch Sylvestre, the head of Stay Free Alberta, holds boxes of signatures before submitting them for a separation referendum to Elections Alberta in Edmonton on May 4, 2026. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press)

«The push for independence by some Albertans predates his prime ministership, and it’s related to economic, fiscal, and political grievances about the seemingly unfair treatment of Alberta by the federal government,» Béland said. «These concerns increased during the Justin Trudeau years, but they have peaked and even declined since he left office.» 

Béland added that some Indigenous groups that are already using the courts to prevent an independence referendum would use venues including the courts to stop independence from happening.

Mitch Sylvestre submits signatures for a separation referendum to Elections Alberta in Edmonton on May 4, 2026, as supporters fly flags behind him. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press)

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The petition for a referendum could face a hurdle this week as an Edmonton judge is expected to rule on a court challenge by Alberta First Nations, who say separation would violate treaty rights. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report.