Rnc Legal Proceedings Account

If the RNC pays Trump`s legal fees in the Vance investigation, it raises questions about compliance with FEC rules prohibiting personal use of campaign funds, according to election law expert Brett Kappel. However, he said that in 2009, in a case involving the purchase of clothing for former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin (R), the FEC ruled that the personal use ban did not apply to funds in the RNC`s general account. The Republican National Committee (RNC) and its chairman, as well as the Republican Party of Louisiana (LAGOP) and its chairman, want to request and receive unlimited contributions to a separate account used solely to fund independent expenses. The separate account would accept contributions not only from individuals, but also from businesses and unions. The Republican executive committees of Jefferson and Orleans parishes, as well as LAGOP, want to use existing funds raised outside of federal restrictions to fund independent federal election activities. The RNC will report that last month it paid $100,000 to Trump`s personal lawyer, John Dowd, and $131,250 to Jay Sekulow, another member of its legal team, in a Federal Election Commission report to be filed Wednesday. McDaniel told CNN`s Dana Bash that the committee “can`t pay the legal bills of an announced candidate” after Bash asked him if the RNC would stop paying Trump`s legal bills if he ran for the White House again. “The RNC Executive Committee has approved the payment of certain legal fees related to the politically motivated lawsuits against President Trump,” an RNC spokesperson said in a statement. As leader of our party, defending President Trump and his record is vital to the GOP. It is entirely appropriate that the RNC continues to help defend itself against the endless witch hunt and attacks on it. The payments to Fischetti`s company are likely legal under FEC precedents because they were made by a party committee. But they are unusual for a criminal case that apparently has nothing to do with the Trump campaign. The FEC has enforced rules against personal use of campaign funds, including certain payments for legal fees, as an important safeguard against corruption.

Despite a decades-long career marked by lawsuits over contract disputes, employment issues and tax issues, Trump has never faced the legal quagmire today. The Department of Justice (DOJ) has launched a criminal investigation into whether Trump deleted or concealed potentially classified documents when he left office. And the DOJ and a House committee are investigating Trump`s role in the deadly attacks on the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. “We can`t pay the legal bills of an advertised candidate. So these are bills that come out of Letitia James` trial, which started when he was president,” McDaniel said. “It was decided by our executive committee for our former president that this was a politically motivated investigation and that is what it was.” The RNC has raised millions since its inception, thanks to six-figure checks from wealthy party supporters. In July alone, a half-dozen donors each contributed $101,700 to the legal account, including Home Depot co-founder Bernard Marcus and Charles Schwab, chief executive of the San Francisco investment firm, according to documents filed by FEC.

The Republican National Committee is paying personal bills for former President Donald Trump and spending party funds to pay for a lawyer who will represent Trump in investigations into his financial practices in New York, a party spokeswoman said Monday. All legal fees “were paid with funds from a pre-existing court case and do not reduce the resources we can devote to our political work,” RNC spokeswoman Cassie Smedile said in a statement. Reuters and CNN first reported the party`s payments. The Republican National Committee covered some of Trump`s bills while in office, and continued to cover some of them during his post-presidency. RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel said the committee must stop paying those bills when Trump launches a bid for 2024. The Washington Post reported Tuesday that Justice Department officials privately discussed appointing a special counsel to take over the investigation of Trump once he became an official presidential candidate. But legal experts tell TIME that would be a reckless decision. Special advisors are appointed to ensure the appearance of independence.