President Donald Trump is asking his small donors to help him pay legal fees for the courts to overturn the results of the 2020 election, but there is no guarantee that the money will be used for that.
Since last Saturday, when the presidential race for President-elect Joe Biden was called, the Trump campaign has sent at least 30 text messages to supporters asking them to donate $ 250 or less to his post-election effort to challenge the results.
Some of the appeals were sent under Trump’s name, while others said “Defend Georgia” or demanded that “Michigan stop counting votes” or simply “Election defense.”
But a donor would have to give $ 8,333 before a dollar would land in the Trump campaign’s actual tally fund due to the way donations will be divided among the various committees.
Save America’s leadership political action committee, which the Trump campaign registered with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) on Monday, receives 60% of every small dollar donation, according to the fine print of fundraising requests. sent by email, with the Republican National Committee (RNC). ) General operating account obtaining the rest.
Political Action Leadership Committees (PACs) allow politicians to raise money that can be used to support other candidates and causes, and to finance their travel, fundraising, consultants, and other political expenses.
There is no requirement that Save America use the money for legal expenses. And unlike campaign money, which cannot be spent on personal expenses, the PAC has no such ban, said Larry Noble, a former FEC attorney general.
“You can use the PAC leadership money for whatever you want,” he said, but not necessarily to fund his current demands.
Under federal law, Save America can donate a maximum of $ 5,000 to the campaign’s counting fund and $ 45,000 to the RNC.
The Trump campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the new PAC and how it relates to the president’s post-election battles.
Text messages and emails, sometimes on behalf of the President, his children, or Vice President Mike Pence, direct potential donors to a website that says donations go to the Trump Make America Great Again Committee, which it was the little – dollar fundraising arm of Trump’s re-election campaign.
But since the elections are over, the money goes to another team. Save America is first in line, receiving three-fifths of each donation up to the $ 5,000 maximum that a political action committee can accept. The RNC takes the rest.
Under federal law, campaigns can set up a separate account to pay for legal battles after an election. Donors who gave the maximum $ 2,800 to the campaign before the election can give another $ 2,800 to a campaign’s counting fund. But the applications asked for $ 250 or less, which would leave nothing for the recount fund. Counts and legal disputes are expensive.
In 2000, George W. Bush raised $ 13.8 million to challenge the count in just one state, Florida, while Democrat Al Gore raised $ 3.2 million. Trump has raised legal challenges in Arizona, Michigan and Pennsylvania and will need legal help with counts in Georgia and Wisconsin.
While money raised through grassroots applications doesn’t necessarily go to the legal battle, big taxpayers have been eager to donate, said Gaylord Hughey Jr., a Texas energy attorney raising money for Trump Victory, who turned to largest donors on behalf of Trump. campaign, the RNC and state party committees. Committees do not report fundraising totals until December 3.
“It’s the easiest question I have: defend the democracy of our country,” he said.
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