[CAPTURE PORTAL] 119TH CONGRESS
Legislative Integrity Monitor
Goblin House Intelligence
Congress → Officials → James R. Baird

James R. Baird

Republican · Representative, IN ·4

James R. Baird is the Republican U.S. Representative (IN's 4th congressional district). The platform has 7 voting records on file (2023-2026) and 30 verified facts on file covering this member's voting positions, financial disclosures, and stated platform commitments.

Score Components
34 LOW
Connection Density 20%
41 → 8
Donor Influence 15%
13 → 2
Silence Risk 25%
48 → 12
Contradiction Risk 25%
40 → 10
Intelligence Volume 15%
27 → 4
Constituency Deviation 0%
93 → 0
Voting Misalignment 0%
0 → 0
% = weight in composite score · Raw component 0–100 × weight = weighted contribution (→) · Sum of contributions = overall score. Hover a row for details.
[constituency_baseline] Demographic anchor: Foreign-born population share: 7.07%
secondary ✓ Verified
[constituency_baseline] Demographic anchor: Homeownership rate: 72.4%
secondary ✓ Verified
[constituency_baseline] Demographic anchor: Poverty rate: 10.6%
secondary ✓ Verified
[constituency_baseline] Demographic anchor: Median household income: $78,449
secondary ✓ Verified
[constituency_baseline] Dominant industry: NAICS 44-45 (share 0.118)
secondary ✓ Verified
[constituency_baseline] Dominant industry: NAICS 62 (share 0.152)
secondary ✓ Verified
[constituency_baseline] Dominant industry: NAICS 31-33 (share 0.176)
secondary ✓ Verified
[constituency_baseline] Top employer: Subaru of Indiana Automotive (6000 employees)
secondary ✓ Verified
[constituency_baseline] Top employer: Cummins Inc. (8000 employees)
secondary ✓ Verified
[constituency_baseline] Top employer: Purdue University (15000 employees)
secondary ✓ Verified
[constituency_baseline] District summary: Indiana's 4th Congressional District is a 16-county, R+35 seat covering west-central Indiana, anchored by Purdue University in West Lafayette and stretching from the Chicago exurbs to rural communities along the Wabash River. The district is overwhelmingly White (82.5%) with a median age of 37, median household income of $78,449, and a poverty rate of 10.6% per Data USA…
[ Show full fact ]
[constituency_baseline] District summary: Indiana's 4th Congressional District is a 16-county, R+35 seat covering west-central Indiana, anchored by Purdue University in West Lafayette and stretching from the Chicago exurbs to rural communities along the Wabash River. The district is overwhelmingly White (82.5%) with a median age of 37, median household income of $78,449, and a poverty rate of 10.6% per Data USA (6.4% per Legisletter). Homeownership is 72.4% with a median property value of $242,900. Only 7.07% of residents are foreign-born. Manufacturing (17.6% of employment), agriculture, and health care dominate the economy. Baird, a Vietnam veteran, farmer, and small business owner who holds a PhD in monogastric nutrition from the University of Kentucky, has held the seat since 2019 and sits on the Agriculture, Foreign Affairs, and Science committees. He won reelection in 2024 with 64.7% of the vote.
secondary ✓ Verified
Voted nay on H.R.2670 (National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 (Conference Report)) on 2023-12-14: Baird voted against the $886 billion must-pass defense bill that passed 310-118 with a majority of both parties. He objected to provisions allowing federal surveillance of American citizens and taxpayer funding of abortion procedures. This placed him among a minority of Republicans who voted nay on a…
[ Show full fact ]
Voted nay on H.R.2670 (National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 (Conference Report)) on 2023-12-14: Baird voted against the $886 billion must-pass defense bill that passed 310-118 with a majority of both parties. He objected to provisions allowing federal surveillance of American citizens and taxpayer funding of abortion procedures. This placed him among a minority of Republicans who voted nay on a bill that most of his conference supported.
primary · 2023-12-14 ✓ Verified
Voted yea on H.R.3746 (Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 (debt ceiling suspension with SNAP work requirements and discretionary spending caps)) on 2023-05-31: Baird voted to avert a potentially catastrophic federal default, joining 149 Republicans and 165 Democrats. He stated the bill was 'an important first step in reining in Democrats' unchecked spending,' while 71 conservative Republicans opposed it as…
[ Show full fact ]
Voted yea on H.R.3746 (Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 (debt ceiling suspension with SNAP work requirements and discretionary spending caps)) on 2023-05-31: Baird voted to avert a potentially catastrophic federal default, joining 149 Republicans and 165 Democrats. He stated the bill was 'an important first step in reining in Democrats' unchecked spending,' while 71 conservative Republicans opposed it as insufficiently fiscally conservative. The new SNAP work requirements affected constituents in his district with 10.6% poverty.
primary · 2023-05-31 ✓ Verified
Voted yea on S.5 (Laken Riley Act (requiring mandatory ICE detention for undocumented immigrants charged with certain crimes)) on 2025-01-07: Baird voted with all 217 Republicans and 46 Democrats to pass the bill. He tweeted: 'I proudly voted with the @HouseGOP to pass the Laken Riley Act to allow Border Patrol to detain criminal illegal immigrants.' His district is only 7.07% foreign-born — among the lowest in the…
[ Show full fact ]
Voted yea on S.5 (Laken Riley Act (requiring mandatory ICE detention for undocumented immigrants charged with certain crimes)) on 2025-01-07: Baird voted with all 217 Republicans and 46 Democrats to pass the bill. He tweeted: 'I proudly voted with the @HouseGOP to pass the Laken Riley Act to allow Border Patrol to detain criminal illegal immigrants.' His district is only 7.07% foreign-born — among the lowest in the nation — meaning the bill carried minimal direct constituency cost.
primary · 2025-01-07 ✓ Verified
Voted nay on H.Con.Res.38 (Directing the President to remove U.S. Armed Forces from unauthorized hostilities in the Islamic Republic of Iran) on 2026-03-05: Baird voted against the War Powers Resolution aimed at constraining Trump's military campaign in Iran. He had previously issued a statement supporting Operation Epic Fury, saying 'I am grateful we have a president who is willing to take decisive action to…
[ Show full fact ]
Voted nay on H.Con.Res.38 (Directing the President to remove U.S. Armed Forces from unauthorized hostilities in the Islamic Republic of Iran) on 2026-03-05: Baird voted against the War Powers Resolution aimed at constraining Trump's military campaign in Iran. He had previously issued a statement supporting Operation Epic Fury, saying 'I am grateful we have a president who is willing to take decisive action to defend our country and our allies.' The resolution failed 224-194, with only a handful of Republicans supporting it.
primary · 2026-03-05 ✓ Verified
Voted yea on H.R.8034 (Israel Security Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2024 ($26.4 billion in military and security assistance to Israel)) on 2024-04-20: Baird voted with the overwhelming 366-58 bipartisan majority. The American Israel Public Affairs Committee contributed $5,500 to his 2024 campaign, making it one of his notable donors. His statement emphasized the 'existential threat to the safety and security of…
[ Show full fact ]
Voted yea on H.R.8034 (Israel Security Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2024 ($26.4 billion in military and security assistance to Israel)) on 2024-04-20: Baird voted with the overwhelming 366-58 bipartisan majority. The American Israel Public Affairs Committee contributed $5,500 to his 2024 campaign, making it one of his notable donors. His statement emphasized the 'existential threat to the safety and security of our greatest ally in the Middle East.'
primary · 2024-04-20 ✓ Verified
Voted nay on H.R.8035 (Ukraine Security Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2024 ($60.8 billion in military and humanitarian aid to Ukraine)) on 2024-04-20: Baird was one of 112 House Republicans who voted against the Ukraine aid package, joining the majority of his conference. His opposition to Ukraine funding aligned with the increasingly isolationist posture of his R+35 district and Trump-aligned base, while 101…
[ Show full fact ]
Voted nay on H.R.8035 (Ukraine Security Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2024 ($60.8 billion in military and humanitarian aid to Ukraine)) on 2024-04-20: Baird was one of 112 House Republicans who voted against the Ukraine aid package, joining the majority of his conference. His opposition to Ukraine funding aligned with the increasingly isolationist posture of his R+35 district and Trump-aligned base, while 101 Republicans crossed over to support the bill. Baird's formal statement said he voted to 'Reject more Funding for Endless War in Ukraine.'
primary · 2024-04-20 ✓ Verified
Voted yea on H.R.1 (One Big Beautiful Bill Act (extending 2017 tax cuts, restructuring Medicaid, SNAP, and other federal programs)) on 2025-07-03: Baird voted for the bill that the AFL-CIO described as enacting 'devastating cuts to Medicaid, SNAP, and other important social safety programs.' His IN-04 district has a 10.6% poverty rate with 6.4% of residents below the poverty line and a median household income just…
[ Show full fact ]
Voted yea on H.R.1 (One Big Beautiful Bill Act (extending 2017 tax cuts, restructuring Medicaid, SNAP, and other federal programs)) on 2025-07-03: Baird voted for the bill that the AFL-CIO described as enacting 'devastating cuts to Medicaid, SNAP, and other important social safety programs.' His IN-04 district has a 10.6% poverty rate with 6.4% of residents below the poverty line and a median household income just above the national average. The bill's Medicaid and SNAP cuts directly conflicted with the material welfare of lower-income constituents in his largely rural district.
primary · 2025-07-03 ✓ Verified
[disclosure] At a constituent-organized town hall in West Lafayette on March 30, 2025, one attendee stated Baird and his colleagues were 'taking the lives of America's most vulnerable and sacrificing them on the altar of conservative billionaires.' The event filled two rooms at the public library, with attendees carrying signs and voicing frustration over cuts to federal programs, including SNAP and Medicaid. The…
[ Show full fact ]
[disclosure] At a constituent-organized town hall in West Lafayette on March 30, 2025, one attendee stated Baird and his colleagues were 'taking the lives of America's most vulnerable and sacrificing them on the altar of conservative billionaires.' The event filled two rooms at the public library, with attendees carrying signs and voicing frustration over cuts to federal programs, including SNAP and Medicaid. The AFL-CIO formally opposed H.R. 1 as a bill that would enact 'devastating cuts to Medicaid, SNAP, and other important social safety programs.'
primary · 2025-03-30 ✓ Verified
[statement] Baird voted for the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1) and stated: 'This legislation strengthens federal programs for those who truly need them and enacts common-sense work requirements that a majority of Americans support.' His press release further claimed the bill 'reduces the deficit, marking a long-overdue return to fiscal sanity in Washington.'
primary · 2025-07-03 ✓ Verified
One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) oversight James R. Baird voted yea on H.R.1, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, on July 3, 2025. He also issued a statement in support of the bill, claiming it 'reduces…
US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) oversight On January 7, 2025, James R. Baird voted yea on S.5, the Laken Riley Act, which requires mandatory ICE detention for undocumented immigrants charged with…
Donald Trump affiliation James R. Baird's opposition to Ukraine aid funding (H.R.8035) on April 20, 2024, was noted as aligning with his 'Trump-aligned base.' Additionally, on March…
American Israel Public Affairs Committee PAC donor $5,000 to James R. Baird's principal committee in the 2026 cycle (1 contribution), FEC Schedule A line 11C. https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00797670/
Indiana Farm Bureau Inc Elect PAC Inc donor $5,000 to James R. Baird's principal committee in the 2026 cycle (1 contribution), FEC Schedule A line 11C. https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00691956/
Eye Of The Tiger PAC donor $5,000 to James R. Baird's principal committee in the 2026 cycle (1 contribution), FEC Schedule A line 11C. https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00467431/
Space Exploration Technologies Corp. PAC donor $10,000 to James R. Baird's principal committee in the 2026 cycle (2 contributions), FEC Schedule A line 11C. https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00411116/
National Automobile Dealers Association Political Action Committee donor $5,000 to James R. Baird's principal committee in the 2026 cycle (1 contribution), FEC Schedule A line 11C. https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00040998/
National Association Of Realtors PAC donor $5,000 to James R. Baird's principal committee in the 2026 cycle (3 contributions), FEC Schedule A line 11C. https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00030718/
National Cattlemen'S Beef Association PAC donor $5,000 to James R. Baird's principal committee in the 2026 cycle (1 contribution), FEC Schedule A line 11C. https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00028787/
American Council Of Engineering Companies (Acec/PAC) donor $5,000 to James R. Baird's principal committee in the 2026 cycle (1 contribution), FEC Schedule A line 11C. https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00010868/
Associated Builders And Contractors PAC (Abc PAC) donor $5,000 to James R. Baird's principal committee in the 2026 cycle (2 contributions), FEC Schedule A line 11C. https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00010421/
American Israel Public Affairs Committee PAC donor $5,000 to James R. Baird's principal committee in the 2024 cycle (1 contribution), FEC Schedule A line 11C. https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00797670/
Indiana Farm Bureau Inc Elect PAC Inc donor $5,000 to James R. Baird's principal committee in the 2024 cycle (1 contribution), FEC Schedule A line 11C. https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00691956/
American Revival PAC donor $5,000 to James R. Baird's principal committee in the 2024 cycle (1 contribution), FEC Schedule A line 11C. https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00639229/
Electing Majority Making Effective Republicans (Emmer PAC) donor $5,000 to James R. Baird's principal committee in the 2026 cycle (1 contribution), FEC Schedule A line 11C. https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00592089/
Growth Energy - America'S Ethanol Supporters donor $5,000 to James R. Baird's principal committee in the 2026 cycle (1 contribution), FEC Schedule A line 11C. https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00475665/
Eye Of The Tiger PAC donor $5,000 to James R. Baird's principal committee in the 2024 cycle (1 contribution), FEC Schedule A line 11C. https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00467431/
Huck PAC donor $5,000 to James R. Baird's principal committee in the 2024 cycle (1 contribution), FEC Schedule A line 11C. https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00448373/
Space Exploration Technologies Corp. PAC donor $5,000 to James R. Baird's principal committee in the 2024 cycle (2 contributions), FEC Schedule A line 11C. https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00411116/
BillVoteDateAlignment
An Act to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow early childhood… Yea 2026-09-16 unknown
Ratepayer Protection Act Yea 2026-09-16 unknown
Water Resources Development Act Yea 2026-09-16 unknown
PROOF Act Yea 2026-09-16 unknown
Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United… Yea 2026-09-16 unknown
National Fraud Enforcement Division Act Yea 2026-09-16 unknown
Retire through Ownership Act Yea 2026-09-16 unknown
Directing the President, pursuant to section 5(c) of the War Powers… Nay 2026-09-15 unknown
Tax Relief for Fraud Victims Act Yea 2026-09-15 unknown
Providing for consideration of the bills H.R. 9576 and H.R. 10326, providing… Yea 2026-09-15 unknown
Diesel Emissions Reduction Act Yea 2026-09-15 unknown
GUARD Act Yea 2026-09-15 unknown
Impeaching Donald John Trump, President of the United States, for high crimes… Yea 2026-09-15 unknown
Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United… Yea 2026-09-15 unknown
Whistleblower Protection Act Yea 2026-09-15 unknown
Providing for consideration of the bills H.R. 9576 and H.R. 10326, providing… Yea 2026-09-15 unknown
Fostering the Use of Technology to Uphold Regulatory Effectiveness in… Yea 2026-09-15 unknown
National Wildlife Refuge System Invasive Species Strike Team Act Yea 2026-09-14 unknown
Local Communities & Bird Habitat Stewardship Act Yea 2026-09-14 unknown
Protect Economic and Academic Freedom Act Yea 2026-09-03 unknown
Protecting Domestic Mining Act Yea 2026-09-02 unknown
Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to require… Yea 2026-09-02 unknown
Providing for the condemnation and denouncement of socialism in all its forms… Yea 2026-09-01 unknown
To amend the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 to extend the time period… Yea 2026-09-01 unknown
In the matter of allegations relating to Representative Chuck Edwards Yea 2026-09-01 unknown
AGOA Extension Act Yea 2026-09-01 unknown
To amend the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 to extend the time period… Nay 2026-09-01 unknown
Providing for consideration of the bills (H.R. 1501, H.R. 9436, and H.R… Yea 2026-09-01 unknown
Providing for consideration of the bills (H.R. 1501, H.R. 9436, and H.R… Yea 2026-09-01 unknown
Local Access to Courts Act Yea 2026-08-31 unknown
Last contradiction analysis: Never
statement_vs_disclosure 60/100
Platform: "Baird voted for the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1) and stated: 'This legislation strengthens federal programs for those who truly need them and enacts common-sense work requirements that a majority of Americans…
[ Show full platform position ]
Baird voted for the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1) and stated: 'This legislation strengthens federal programs for those who truly need them and enacts common-sense work requirements that a majority of Americans support.' His press release further claimed the bill 'reduces the deficit, marking a long-overdue return to fiscal sanity in Washington.'
"
Vote: on "At a constituent-organized town hall in West Lafayette on March 30, 2025, one attendee stated…"
Baird's press release claimed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act would 'strengthen federal programs for those who truly need them,' but his own constituents, the AFL-CIO, and independent analyses reported that the bill enacted significant cuts to Medicaid, SNAP, and other social safety programs — directly contradicting…
[ Show full analysis ]
Baird's press release claimed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act would 'strengthen federal programs for those who truly need them,' but his own constituents, the AFL-CIO, and independent analyses reported that the bill enacted significant cuts to Medicaid, SNAP, and other social safety programs — directly contradicting his characterization.
Last silence detection: Thu, 15 Oct 2026 01:04:08 GMT (via scheduled run)
In-person public town hall meetings with constituents
821d silent
Expected position: As the elected U.S. Representative for Indiana's 4th District since 2019, Baird would be expected to hold periodic public town halls to hear directly from constituents across his 16-county district. Evidence of activity on adjacent…
[ Show full donor-interest summary ]
Expected position: As the elected U.S. Representative for Indiana's 4th District since 2019, Baird would be expected to hold periodic public town halls to hear directly from constituents across his 16-county district. Evidence of activity on adjacent topics: Baird has refused to hold public town halls with his constituents, according to multiple news reports. On March 30, 2025, the group Greater Lafayette Indivisible held an 'empty chair' town hall at the West Lafayette Public Library, attended by two rooms full of constituents who voiced frustrations over cuts to federal programs. Organizers said they reached out to Baird's office several times to invite him, but received no response. In late April 2025, Indiana Democrats announced they would hold a 'People's Town Hall' at an IBEW local union hall in response to Baird's 'lack of engagement with constituents.' GOP leadership had reportedly told representatives in early March 2025 to stop holding town halls. Baird remained active on social media and issued press releases during this window. Primary URL: https://www.wthr.com/article/news/local/indiana-district-4-residents-hold-town-hall-without-congressman-jim-baird-accepting-the-invite/531-a6cfddb6-64ce-4910-8da5-ff336ab7dcb1
party & leadership pacs
Huck PAC, Eye Of The Tiger PAC, Electing Majority Making Effective Republicans (Emmer PAC) (amounts: $5,000 (2024), $5,000 (2026), $5,000 (2026)) — interest area: party & leadership pacs
other / unclassified
American Revival PAC (amounts: $5,000 (2024)) — interest area: other / unclassified
other candidates' committees
Huck PAC (amounts: $5,000 (2024)) — interest area: other candidates' committees
colleagues' leadership pacs
Eye Of The Tiger PAC, Electing Majority Making Effective Republicans (Emmer PAC) (amounts: $5,000 (2026), $5,000 (2026)) — interest area: colleagues' leadership pacs
Wine And Spirits Wholesalers Of America, Inc. PAC Alcohol & tobacco $5,000 (2026)
Electing Majority Making Effective Republicans (Emmer PAC) Colleagues' leadership PACs $5,000 (2026)
Eye Of The Tiger PAC Colleagues' leadership PACs $5,000 (2026)
Huck PAC Other candidates' committees $5,000 (2024)
American Israel Public Affairs Committee PAC Law & lobbying firms $5,000 (2026)
Indiana Farm Bureau Inc Elect PAC Inc Agriculture & food $5,000 (2026)
American Revival PAC Other / unclassified $5,000 (2024)
Electing Majority Making Effective Republicans (Emmer PAC) Party & leadership PACs $5,000 (2026)
Growth Energy - America'S Ethanol Supporters Oil, gas & mining $5,000 (2026)
Eye Of The Tiger PAC Party & leadership PACs $5,000 (2026)
Huck PAC Party & leadership PACs $5,000 (2024)
Space Exploration Technologies Corp. PAC Technology $10,000 (2026)
American Soybean Association Agriculture & food $5,000 (2024)
Nucor Corporation Political Action Committee Oil, gas & mining $5,000 (2026)
TopicPriorityAlignmentDeviation
Healthcare Access & Rural Hospital Viability 90 22 72
Agricultural Policy & Farm Bill Support 88 30 62
Higher Education & Purdue University Funding 85 28 60
Manufacturing & Auto Industry Protection 92 34 58
Infrastructure & Rural Broadband 80 38 52
Trade Policy & Tariffs 82 40 48
Foreign Policy & Defense Spending 72 42 45
Veterans Affairs & Military Families 70 48 40
Federal Fiscal Policy & Debt Reduction 76 55 35
Education Policy & School Choice 74 65 22
Energy Policy & Indiana Energy Sector 68 72 12
Immigration & Border Security 78 88 10
No platform commitments archived
No committee memberships recorded
Scoring Methodology

The Capture Risk Score is a composite 0–100 index measuring potential regulatory capture of elected officials. It is computed from seven weighted components:

ComponentWeightSignal
Contradiction Risk30%Stated positions contradicted by the record (recent findings boosted)
Donor Influence20%Distinct documented donors (FEC Schedule A PACs); inferred donors do not count
Connection Density20%Mapped relationships to lobbyists, contractors, interest groups; donor links excluded
Silence Risk15%Topics where donors have interests but the official is silent
Intelligence Volume15%Documented facts from verified sources
Constituency Deviation0%Shown, not weighted — a model estimate, not a record
Voting Misalignment0%Shown, not weighted — needs platform commitments almost nobody has; the roll-call record on /votes is the vote signal

Each component is the member's standing among all scored members of Congress, and the weighted sum is the overall score. Tiers are ranks: Critical is the top 5%, High the next 10%, Elevated the next 20%, Moderate the next 30%, and Low the rest.

Officials without at least 2 documented facts, 1 contradiction analysis, 1 voting record, or 1 constituency baseline are marked Insufficient Evidence and excluded from numeric ranking.

Contradiction findings from the last 180 days receive a recency boost. High-severity contradictions (score ≥ 70) receive additional weight.

Full methodology: /congress/methodology

[PUBLIC COST ESTIMATE]
Documented financial relationships span 0 money flow chains.
$1.8BDonor Contributions
0Money Chains
0Traced Hops
Calculation Methodology

Contract values are summed from documented money flow chains where this entity appears as a source or destination node. Amounts are drawn from USASpending.gov, FEC filings, SEC EDGAR, or LD-2 lobbying registrations.

Donor contributions aggregate documented amounts from the donor_interests table, sourced from FEC individual and PAC contribution filings.

Connected officials are elected officials in our database with a mapped relationship (lobbying, board membership, campaign contribution, etc.) to this entity.

Annualised flow represents the total documented dollar amount traced through money flow hops involving this entity. Where hop-level amounts are unavailable, the chain-level documented total is used as a conservative upper bound.

All figures are drawn from public filings. Estimates are conservative — undisclosed transactions, dark money, and vanish-point hops are excluded from totals. This is a minimum documented floor, not a ceiling.

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