American Bridge Filed A Complaint With The Federal Elections Commission Against Trump Alleging He Violated Federal Law By Effectively Campaigning For President Without Actually Declaring His Candidacy. According to CNN, “A Democratic group says it filed a complaint Monday with the Federal Election Commission, alleging that former President Donald Trump is breaking federal law by raising and spending big sums to promote a likely presidential campaign in 2024 without formally declaring his candidacy.” [CNN, 3/14/22]
Federal Law Required Anyone Who Raised Or Spent At Least $5,000 On A Federal Campaign To Register As A Candidate. According to CNN, “The group, American Bridge, cites Trump’s statements to argue that he is running for the presidency while skirting federal campaign finance laws that require those who raise or spend more than $5,000 to register as a candidate. Candidates also are barred from coordinating their activities with super PACs.” [CNN, 3/14/22]
Trump: “We Did It Twice And We’ll Do It Again … We’re Going To Do It A Third Time.” According to CNN, “Among the statements highlighted by the Democrat group: Trump’s comments last month to the Conservative Political Action Conference that appeared to allude to a third presidential bid. ‘We did it twice and we’ll do it again … we’re going to do it a third time,’ Trump told attendees, the group said in its filings.” [CNN, 3/14/22]
Trump Said He Knew Whether He Would Run For President, But Would Not Say What That Decision Was Due To Campaign Finance Laws. According to CNN, “And last fall, American Bridge noted, Trump said this when asked about his 2024 plans: ‘I know what I’m going to do, but we’re not supposed to be talking about it yet from the standpoint of campaign finance laws.’” [CNN, 3/14/22]
Trump’s Leadership PAC Spent $100,000 A Week On Facebook Ads. According to CNN, “Trump’s network of political groups started the year with $122 million in cash reserves – an unheard of sum for an ex-President. And American Bridge noted that his leadership PAC, Save America, has spent heavily – pumping as much as $100,000 a week into Facebook advertising.” [CNN, 3/14/22]
Trump Had His Leadership PAC Pay His Legal Fees, Including To A Lawyer Who Was Fined For Filing A Frivolous Lawsuit. According to the Huffington Post, “Save America, Trump’s leadership PAC, had $18.3 million heading into 2023, although as a declared candidate, that money cannot be used for his own election activity, although it can pay for such things as his criminal defense lawyers. Indeed, Trump spent $2.9 million on legal fees through the committee last month, including $491,365 to a lawyer who, along with Trump, was recently fined $1 million for filing a frivolous lawsuit.” [Huffington Post, 2/1/23]
Trump’s Campaign Paid His Private Club Mar-a-Lago $67,865 For Hosting His Presidential Announcement. According to the Huffington Post. “And through his own campaign committee, Trump is already showing that he is again willing to use donor dollars to enrich himself, as he did during his two previous campaigns. The Trump campaign paid Mar-a-Lago, where he held his announcement speech, $67,865 for catering and room rental, according to its FEC filing. Profits from the members-only club flow directly into his bank account.” [Huffington Post, 2/1/23]