It has been a year and some days since the 2020 elections, and the RNC is still paying a large amount of money in legal fees for former President Trump. The Republican National Committee reportedly spent almost $720,000 of its donor money for Trump’s affairs in just October and November of last year alone.
The campaign finance records show these transactions include legal fees for Trump in various different challenges, criminal investigation in his businesses among others. The overall legal bills and expenditures of the Republican party have grown exponentially due to Trump, reaching $3 million between months in the last quarter.
All national parties have traditionally covered presidents that have been elected from their side, and their advisory’s legal fees throughout their term, as well as onwards if it pertains to their political campaign. Similar to tradition, the Republican party has covered all previous legal expenses incurred by Trump himself, his allies in politics, and his family members too. The Democratic National Committee has reportedly been bringing down its legal fees in the last few months.
However, the continued financial support of the GOP towards Trump in legal battles that do not relate to the elections in the coming years is actually unpredicted and unusual for a national party.
Federal reforms director at nonpartisan government ethics group Campaign Legal Center, Brendan Fischer noted, “Campaign finance law does not strictly prohibit a national party committee from paying for private legal expenses, but it is very rare for a party committee to use donor money in that way,” confirming the suspicions of the hold and influence Trump continues to have over the GOP despite everything he has cost them in the year.
He also added, “And it is entirely unprecedented for a national party committee to cover a former president’s private legal bills, especially when those legal expenses arise out of an investigation into an activity that preceded Trump’s time in the White House, and when Trump is sitting on millions of his own PAC funds.”
However, public disapproval of Trump, by either GOP members or long-time donors of the party, continues to support him openly. RNC spokesperson Emma Vaughn confirmed this by saying, “As a leader of our party, defending President Trump and his record of achievement is critical to the GOP. It is entirely appropriate for the RNC to continue assisting in fighting back against the Democrats’ never-ending witch hunt and attacks on him.”
