Washington Post: NRCC warns donors Trump will find out if they opt out of monthly donations

04.7.2021 / By Colby Itkowitz
Washington Post: NRCC warns donors Trump will find out if they opt out of monthly donations

Paul S. Ryan, vice president of policy and litigation at left-leaning Common Cause, said it comes down to “basic human decency.” “While it should be easy for supporters of an organization to make recurring donations, people shouldn’t be tricked or bullied into making donations,” Ryan said. “NRCC and Trump solicitations seem to have crossed this line.”

The National Republican Congressional Committee threatened donors that it will tell former president Donald Trump that they are defectors if they opt out of giving recurring monthly funds to the campaign arm for the House GOP.

After donating to the NRCC, donors are shown a yellow box with a small pre-checked box that warns: “If you UNCHECK this box, we will have to tell Trump you’re a DEFECTOR.” Left checked and the supporter will be agreeing to contribute every month.

The tactic, roundly criticized by campaign finance experts as deceptive, was employed by the Trump campaign in the final months leading up to the 2020 election to shore up its dwindling coffers.

Many supporters who intended to donate only once were unwittingly enrolled to give weekly because they didn’t read the fine print requiring them to uncheck a box, a New York Times investigation found, resulting in credit card complaints, overdrafts and the Trump campaign refunding tens of millions of dollars to its supporters. …

Paul S. Ryan, vice president of policy and litigation at left-leaning Common Cause, said it comes down to “basic human decency.”

“While it should be easy for supporters of an organization to make recurring donations, people shouldn’t be tricked or bullied into making donations,” Ryan said. “NRCC and Trump solicitations seem to have crossed this line.”

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