Since 2023, the Katie Blessing Center has secured more than $40 million in public money, including $35.2 million from the state. After the complaint was filed, The Ledger/NC Health News reached out to donors connected to Estramonte listed in state records. Starmount Management spent $97,771 on six contract lobbyists that year, according to state records, and $142,508 on seven lobbyists in 2025. Research suggests campaign contributions rarely change how a lawmaker votes, he said. Jane Pinsky, former director of the NC Coalition for Lobbying and Government Reform, said people who make campaign contributions have long been favored by N.C. lawmakers.