Trump Has Already Spent $500,000 In Re-election Funds On His Own Businesses

[TomCADem]

Source: MSN/Huffington Post

Donald Trump’s re-election fundraising is already going gangbusters, and so is the income his own businesses are reaping from the contributions. The president’s 2020 campaign has already spent close to $500,000 on Trump’s businesses, from golf resorts to Trump Tower rent, according to new campaign finance filings.

The spending is similar to the pattern in Trump’s first presidential campaign when a significant chunk of contributions went to his own companies. In the single month of May last year, Trump’s campaign spent more than $1 million on catering, rents and utilities at more than a half-dozen Trump-owned companies and properties. The campaign spent $350,000 alone to Trump’s TAG Air for the use of private jets and helicopters.

According to the latest reports filed Friday with the Federal Election Commission, Trump has spent $6.3 million in re-election funds the first quarter of the year. Among the nearly half-a-million dollars spent on Trump operations, $274,000 was paid in rent to Trump Tower in Manhattan where the re-election operation is headquartered, according to a tally of the reported figures totted up by the Wall Street Journal. An additional $59,000 was spent on stays at the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, and $14,000 went for food and rent to the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas.

The campaign raised $13.2 million through three committees the first quarter, and has a staff of 20. As of the end of March the campaign had $16 million in the bank, Politico reports.

Read more: http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/trump-has-already-spent-dollar500000-in-re-election-funds-on-his-own-businesses/ar-BBzSCwu

[TexasBushwhacker]

1. Grifters gotta grift

He's going to try to figure out a way for the government to pay all his debts too. Just you watch.

[teezy]

4. Maybe he already has.

Maybe all the money he's making from constant trips to Mar-a-Lago and his golf courses is being used to pay them off. Maybe that's why he keeps having foreign heads of state, all their entourage and his, all the Secret Service at his own private resort. His properties are making a killing.

[iluvtennis]

9. +++ agree

[FakeNoose]

17. Everybody else is staying away

Trump's hotels are losing business like crazy.

Nobody wants to be seen there, except lobbyists and people who do business witht him.

Just sayin'

[teezy]

19. That's good news if it's true.

But the costs of housing the Secret Service at Trump Tower and at Mar-a-Lago when he brings a lot of people down there is putting a lot of money into his pockets.

He's just a sleezy fucker who needs to be thrown into prison, period.

[duncang]

2. So he's doing fund drives at Mar a lago

Among his rich buddies while he's golfing down there and calling it presidential business.

[democratisphere]

3. Corruption gone wild.

[Sunlei]

5. Republicans payola, money laundering scheme. They're pros.

[TeamPooka]

6. Sounds like they never turned off the monthly automatic donations his suckers signed up for

I read an article during the election about some of his followers complaining there was no place on his website to turn off/end the donations.

[ProudLib72]

7. As long as it's like minded rethugs he's swindling

I really don't have a problem. Go Li'l Donnie! Bankrupt them all.

[dalton99a]

12. +1

[JudyM]

14. Except for the greater favors the donors will get, in return, on the backs of the citizenry.

[Solly Mack]

8. Disgusting

Buy Trump's Mar a Lago Miracle Spring Water and wish those coal jobs back.

[NBachers]

10. Keep those donations flowing, you deluded ignorant fools!

[groundloop]

11. Wait... I thought Presidents always divest themselves of business interests so there's no conflict

[FakeNoose]

18. Well you know how that goes

[lark]

13. Of course he has.

This whole gig is about enriching himself, that is the 1 thing he cares about. Everything else is just situational, how can I benefit personally from this? Like bombing Syria with missiles from a company in which he's part owner, having all his events at his own properties and paying himself extravagant amounts are all part of the same pattern we will see repeated over and over, as long as he's still clinging to the office he stole.

[TomCADem]

15. Sort of Like his tax policy proposal

Nt

[lark]

16. Exactly like his tax policy.

All taxes he pays will be cut, taxes for the poor and working class will increase.

[mpcamb]

20. Simple Question: Is that illegal?

[Kennah]

21. End of the American Republic. Dawn of the American Empire. Hail, Donnie. (n/t)