Former President Trump's numerous political committees have amassed a battle chest of greater than $122 million heading into the midterm election yr, after elevating about $51 million in particular person contributions within the second half of 2021.
General, these teams underneath Trump's management have spent $30.4 million — together with $350,000 on the 2022 candidates he is endorsed in opposition to mainstream Republican candidates and incumbents.
Their spending over the second half of 2021 contains funds to authorized companies representing aides who've been subpoenaed by the Home January 6 choose committee, consulting companies run by former Trump administration and marketing campaign officers and donations to Trump-endorsed candidates. Trump's political teams additionally spent $345,000 at numerous Trump properties for hire and internet hosting occasions.
Save America PAC acquired the majority of the whole donations and reported $85.2 million raised in 2021, primarily via the Save America Joint Fundraising Committee. The third Trump political group is the Make America Nice Once more PAC.
"From the large and unprecedented Save America Rallies, to those record-breaking fundraising numbers, there is no such thing as a query that the MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN (MAGA!) wave is about to crash throughout the Midterms and carry ahead all through 2024," mentioned Trump's communications director, Taylor Budowich.
Save America PAC spent $7.7 million from July to December 2021, with not less than $1.33 million paying for commercials on Fb. Occasion Methods, Inc., an occasion administration firm, acquired greater than $1.49 million from the PAC. The Conservative Partnership Institute, which is a gaggle run by former White Home chief of employees Mark Meadows, acquired $1 million.
The PAC additionally donated $350,000 in whole to many political campaigns, with $205,000 going to federal campaigns, together with not less than three Home Republican candidates difficult incumbents who voted to question Trump after the January 6, 2021 assault on the Capitol. The PAC is allowed to contribute as much as $5,000 to federal candidates.
The previous president's PAC has additionally donated a mixed $145,000 to a number of state-level candidates whom he has endorsed, together with Texas Legal professional Normal Ken Paxton and Georgia gubernatorial candidate David Perdue, who's primarying incumbent Republican Governor Brian Kemp.
Trump's PAC has additionally contributed to candidates who've unfold his unfounded claims of widespread fraud within the 2020 election, together with Arizona gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake, Arizona state Senator Wendy Rogers, Arizona Secretary of State candidate Mark Finchem, Michigan Secretary of State candidate Kristina Karamo and Michigan Legal professional Normal candidate Matthew DePerno.
Within the second half of 2021, there have been additionally $104,500 in funds to legislation companies representing Trump aides subpoenaed by the Home committee investigating the January 6 assault. Abel Bean Regulation P.A., a agency representing Budowich, acquired $29,500 from the PAC. Model Woodward Regulation, who represents former White Home deputy chief of employees Dan Scavino, obtained $25,000. JP Rowley Regulation PLLC represents conservative lawyer Cleta Mitchell, who helped advise Trump in his efforts to overturn the 2020 election in numerous states. They acquired $50,000 from the PAC.
Companies headed by two of Trump's marketing campaign managers in 2020, Brad Parscale and Invoice Stepien, acquired greater than $120,000 mixed from the PAC.
Speedy Loop Consulting, led by James Blair, an adviser to Trump's marketing campaign in Florida and a former deputy chief of employees to Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis, obtained $60,000. Belmont Methods LLC, a political consulting agency led by Donald Trump Jr. aide Andrew Surabian, additionally acquired $60,000.
Trump's Make America Nice Once more PAC spent about $1.4 million dollars within the second half of 2021 paying authorized and consulting charges related to election recounts. Trump's three teams spent greater than $1.3 million on authorized charges within the second half of 2021.
Whereas Trump has posted huge fundraising hauls, the Republican Nationwide Committee has lined a few of Trump's private authorized payments from circumstances investigating his non-public enterprise. Trump's PACs aren't allowed to spend on his private charges or his marketing campaign — solely on different candidates' campaigns.
From October via December 2021, the RNC paid $171,670 to the legislation agency of Trump lawyer Ronald Fischetti, who's representing the Trump Group in a Manhattan District Legal professional case alleging tax fraud and evasion. It has additionally paid $328,287 to Susan Necheles, an lawyer representing a subsidiary of the Trump Group, and $200,000 to the Van Der Veen, Hartson, & Levin legislation agency.
"As a frontrunner of our occasion, defending President Trump and his document of feat is important to the GOP. It's solely applicable for the RNC to proceed aiding in preventing again in opposition to the Democrats' by no means ending witch hunt and assaults on him," RNC spokeswoman Emma Vaughn informed CBS Information in December.
The "Make America Nice Once more, Once more!" tremendous PAC, which is supposed to help Trump-endorsed candidates "who've confirmed to be fighters of the MAGA motion," raised greater than $10 million since October 2021.Its submitting confirmed funds to a number of former Trump aides that now serve on the committee's board: $28,165 to Trump impeachment lawyer Pamela Bondi, $7,709 to former Director of Nationwide Intelligence Richard Grenell, and $7,880 to former Performing Legal professional Normal Matthew Whitaker.
Save America PAC, the Make America Nice Once more PAC, and the Make America Nice Once more, Once more! tremendous PAC all spent a complete of not less than $357,977 on Trump-owned companies, together with bills for his Mar-A-Lago membership in Florida and the Trump Lodge assortment, in addition to hire funds for Trump Tower and Trump Eating places.