A lobbyist in Iowa was caught offering cash to people as an incentive to attend a rally for Vice President JD Vance in the state this week.

Jake Swanson, an ethanol lobbyist, sent out a message to contacts offering $100 cash payments and an additional $25 for each person they recruit to watch Vance speak.

“Gentlemen, Jake Swanson here. I wanted to invite you to join me in seeing Vice President JD Vance this afternoon in Des Moines” Swanson wrote in the message obtained by the Iowa Starting Line.

“I do some work for an ethanol company and so if you’re able to join, I will give you $100, and for anyone that you recruit, an additional $25. No limit on referrals, so if someone recruits a group of 20 to show up, that’s $500,’ the message continued.

Vance visited Iowa on Tuesday to discuss what the administration was doing to help Iowa farmers hurt by Trump’s Iran war-induced rise in gas and oil prices. He was also there to campaign for Iowa Rep. Zach Nunn, a second-term Republican, ahead of what is projected to be one of the tightest House races in November’s election.

In a statement to the Iowa Starting Line, Swanson defended paying attendees to show up at Vance’s event.

“I love ethanol and what it does for our state. So I was happy to bring some Iowa State kids to the rally to celebrate all the things Trump-Vance have done for biofuels and I think there’s opportunity for so much more,” Swanson wrote. “This is what I like to do in my own personal spare time.”