Trump's invite to major donors prioritizes the committee paying his legal bills over the RNC [View all]
https://apnews.com/article/trump-campaign-fundraising-rnc-c0e8f1e7b59f70c5237e13a3462e5790
NEW YORK (AP) Donald Trumps new joint fundraising agreement with the Republican National Committee directs donations to his campaign and a political action committee that pays the former presidents legal bills before the RNC gets a cut, according to a fundraising invitation obtained by The Associated Press.
The unorthodox diversion of funds to the Save America PAC makes it more likely that Republican donors could see their money go to Trumps lawyers, who have received at least $76 million over the last two years to defend him against four felony indictments and multiple civil cases. Some Republicans are already troubled that Trumps takeover of the RNC could shortchange the cash-strapped party.
Trump has invited high-dollar donors to Palm Beach, Florida, for an April 6 fundraiser that comes as his fundraising is well behind President Joe Biden and national Democrats. The invitations fine print says donations to the Trump 47 Committee will first be used to give the maximum amount allowed under federal law to Trumps campaign. Anything left over from the donation next goes toward a maximum contribution to Save America, and then anything left from there goes to the RNC and then to state political parties.
Adav Noti, the executive director of the nonpartisan Campaign Legal Center in Washington, said that is a break from fundraising norms. Usually, Noti said, candidates prioritize raising cash that can be spent directly on campaign activity. Save America, on the other hand, is structured as a leadership PAC and thus barred from spending directly on Trumps own campaign activities. The group devoted 84% of its spending to Trumps legal costs as of February.
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