Donald Trump’s main 2024 White House campaign fundraising operation sharply increased spending at the former president’s properties in recent months, funneling money into his businesses at a time when he is facing serious legal jeopardy and desperately needs cash.

Trump’s joint fundraising committee wrote three checks in February and one in March to his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida, totaling $411,287 and another in March to Trump National Doral Miami for $62,337, according to a report filed to the Federal Election Commission this week.

Federal law and FEC regulations allow donor funds to be spent at a candidate’s business so long as the campaign pays fair market value, experts say. Trump has been doing it for years, shifting millions in campaign cash into his sprawling business empire to pay for expenses such as using his personal aircraft for political events, rent at Trump Tower and events at his properties, which has included hotels and private clubs.

  • @Grobmobularb
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    1027 months ago

    Didn’t he overcharge the secret service at his resorts too?

    Fucking scumbag. I can’t wait until he finally dies…

    • @HoustonHenry
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      697 months ago

      The same guy who played golf for more than 300 days while on “duty” as POTUS? Yeah, it’ll be a good day

    • @[email protected]
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      197 months ago

      I’d rather he get locked in syndrome for a few years. That would be the worst hell imaginable for him.

      • @krelvar
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        157 months ago

        Locked in courtroom will have to do for now, he’s already not taking it well.

  • Optional
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    657 months ago

    Sure, he got away with it the first time. Why not do it again.

    Looks like he sure learned his lesson, eh Susan Collins?

  • @hoshikarakitaridia
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    367 months ago

    I don’t get why cheating the tax code is so glorified. “OMG this dude circumvents rules we made so that money works fairly. He’s awesome” how do you even get there?

    • @[email protected]
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      167 months ago

      Pretty sure the people glorifying it are the same ones screaming about taxes are theft.

    • @SlopppyEngineer
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      97 months ago

      Pretty much “the other guy wants to make the country better for everybody. I don’t like that. I want him to make the country better just for me.”

  • AlexanderESmith
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    347 months ago

    “Orange man with small hands does another illegal thing, this might be the end”

    It never is. Fuck you to every sensationalistic “news” outlet that continues to post the same artcle with differnt herbs and spices for the 10,000th time.

    He’s a douchebag. We all know already. Shut the fuck up about it unless he’s in jail or dies. Then shut the fuck up about his dumbass kids. I don’t want to start hearing about them for the next 40 years after I’m finally rid of their asshole father.

  • @carl_dungeon
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    267 months ago

    So…… business as usual? This isn’t news, this is the shit he’s done for 30 years.

  • @Nobody
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    247 months ago

    The financial squeeze is to make him desperate enough to either make a mistake or take a guilty plea. The feds have unlimited resources, and they never stop.

    But Trump always gets away with it. He has “Boeing murdered its whistleblower while he was being deposed” billionaire status in the “justice” system.

    The neverending prosecution meets the lawless billionaire. Shades of Al Capone and Elliot Ness, except it’s important to remember that Capone could have won.

    Wealth and status buys basically everything in America, even more so now than in the Gilded Age. Economic inequality in America passed pre-Revolution France a long time ago. We’re in uncharted waters.

    • @satanmat
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      127 months ago

      Cuz that’s just good business!

      Look how smart he is!

    • sbr32
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      7 months ago

      In a normal world it makes some sense.

      If you own a catering business and are running for congress there’s nothing wrong with you hiring your own firm, AT FAIR MARKET VALUE, for an event rather than hiring a competitor.

      The problem is is that Trump has broken everything, and now takes what should be reasonable rules/laws and turns them into more grift.

      • @RainfallSonata
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        127 months ago

        If you own a catering business and are running for congress there’s nothing wrong with you hiring your own firm, AT FAIR MARKET VALUE,

        Only to those with no ethics.

      • @ChapulinColorado
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        7 months ago

        It doesn’t. A lot of positions in government specifically prohibit nepotism when hiring as it can quickly lead to inept and unqualified candidates. Why would spending on your own business be any different as a candidate that is trying to get one of those positions?

        This shows you are either failing at managing your business and should not be managing anything in government or that you are in it for yourself and no one else, which again contradicts what you are trying to get at elected to do.

        • @[email protected]
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          67 months ago

          Remember when Kushner solved the middle East crisis. He was hired by his father in law, ignored all the security issues along with the nepotism but the crazy thing is, it worked! Those lads in the middle East are all pals now. There’s been no unrest since! Nepotism is ok sometimes!

  • @[email protected]
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    197 months ago

    At least every penny he diverts into his failing businesses is a penny he can’t use on sleazy attack ads or helping his fellow scumbags get elected in other races.

    Here’s hoping he bankrupts the entire right wing bubble. The GOP is already broke in several states.

    • @SkyezOpen
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      17 months ago

      Lara trump is the head of the RNC, so your hope is entirely plausible and even likely.

  • gregorum
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    127 months ago

    Grifters gonna grift.

    What a scummy shmuck.

  • @_sideffect
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    47 months ago

    Experts need to tell us this? Lol

  • @TropicalDingdong
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    27 months ago

    I think it looks like a house in fire, which is just gravy