CNN: How Trump’s fundraising could benefit his post-White House political life

11.23.2020 / By Fredreka Schouten
CNN: How Trump's fundraising could benefit his post-White House political life

"The typical donor doesn't read the legal fine print," Paul Ryan, vice president of vice president of policy and litigation at Common Cause, told CNN. Ryan said few restrictions apply on the PAC's spending. Should they choose to do so, Trump and his family members could draw salaries from Save America funds or direct its donors' money to his businesses by hosting PAC events at a Trump-owned properties. "This money could easily -- and legally -- end up in his own pocket in the coming years," Ryan said. And even after the long-shot legal challenges to the 2020 election end, Trump "could tease a 2024 run for years and continue milking his supporters for contributions to this slush fund," he added.

(CNN) – One email asks for donations to “Stop the Left from trying to steal the Election.” Another offers a “COUNT ALL LEGAL VOTES” T-shirt in exchange for a $30 contribution. A third, signed by Eric Trump, asks for $5 “IMMEDIATELY to support the official Election Defense Fund.”

All these missives from President Donald Trump’s political operation landed in supporters’ inboxes Monday morning claiming to solicit funds to help Trump fund recounts and legal challenges to overturn the election results.
But the legal fine print on each shows that a new Trump fundraising arm, Save America, actually will get the first cut of any money that comes in. And because spending rules for leadership PACs are so loose, campaign-finance experts warn that Save America could easily become a political slush fund for Trump and those close to him.
The rules on spending by leadership PACs also are far more relaxed than those for campaign committees and do not restrict politicians from using donors’ funds for personal expenses — a use forbidden in a presidential campaign account.
It’s one reason campaign-finance experts say donors should be leery of what they view as a Trump campaign bait-and-switch tactic: soliciting funds for legal challenges and instead first routing the money to his leadership PAC.
“The typical donor doesn’t read the legal fine print,” Paul Ryan, vice president of vice president of policy and litigation at Common Cause, told CNN.
Ryan said few restrictions apply on the PAC’s spending. Should they choose to do so, Trump and his family members could draw salaries from Save America funds or direct its donors’ money to his businesses by hosting PAC events at a Trump-owned properties.
“This money could easily — and legally — end up in his own pocket in the coming years,” Ryan said. And even after the long-shot legal challenges to the 2020 election end, Trump “could tease a 2024 run for years and continue milking his supporters for contributions to this slush fund,” he added.

See More: Campaign FinanceVoting & ElectionsMoney & Influence