Is Donald Swiping Campaign Funds?
Let’s follow the money
Donald’s PAC has been caught moving $8,000,000 to an intermediary for unreported “legal fees?”
While much of my attention has been devoted to covering Donald’s long list of crimes, alleged or otherwise, it’s crucial to remember that there’s always more beneath the surface, another scam, another rule flouted or broken, another line crossed.
In politics, especially when a story is sensational and the scandal egregious (usually a given when they’re covering Donald), it’s easy to get caught up in the headlines and the media often ends up burying the lede.
In the process, they risk overlooking the subtler, often more nefarious aspects of Donald’s conduct.
Today, I want to take a closer look at Donald’s political action committees (PACs) and the sketchy ways in which they seem to be helping him pay his mounting legal bills.
The $8 million enigma
According to a detailed report by Roger Sollenberger, a significant part of Donald’s legal expenses, a stunning $8 million, has been funneled to an unidentified party or parties through what seems to be a corporate middleman –Red Curve Solutions, the firm that handles their political accounting. This setup purportedly obscures the real recipients of Donald’s legal payments, potentially violating federal law and the restrictions on corporate political contributions.
Sollenberger writes that these “payments are described in FEC filings as ‘reimbursements’ for legal expenses and fees. The filings suggest that Red Curve is, at least in part, functioning as a financial hub for a legal expense cost-sharing agreement between these various Trump committees.”
Reporter Zac Anderson notes, “Red Curve Solutions helps political campaigns with a range of services, including ‘comprehensive budgeting, accounting and financial management and compliance services," according to the company's LinkedIn page.
The fact that such a large sum of money is being funneled through a third party, raises several red flags. It suggests a deliberate attempt to obscure the flow of funds in order to hide the true recipients of these payments. The Federal Election Commission (FEC) has strict rules about transparency in campaign finance, rules that are designed to prevent corruption and ensure the integrity of our political system. If these payments are indeed in violation of these rules, it would represent a serious breach of ethics and, potentially, a criminal act.
The unusual recipient of the cash
Over the past fifteen months, Red Curve Solutions has become the largest single beneficiary of Donald’s legal payments. The role of Red Curve Solutions in the above-scenario is puzzling. As a firm known for its accounting services, it seems an unlikely recipient of such large payments for legal services.
According to a separate investigation by the Campaign Legal Center, a nonprofit watchdog, “Red Curve Solutions offers a range of services to political campaigns, including budgeting, accounting, financial management, and compliance services.” They also noted “that Red Curve does not appear to provide any legal services.”
“In fact,” Sollenberger notes, “Red Curve’s website does not advertise legal services, and Federal Election Commission filings show that only one other federal committee has ever paid the company for legal work—and that was more than a decade ago.”
This raises the questions about whether Red Curve Solutions is merely a conduit for these funds, and if that’s the case, who are the ultimate beneficiaries?
Are they law firms, individual attorneys, or other parties? And, if so, why is this arrangement necessary? Why not pay the legal fees directly to the service providers?
The answers to these questions remain elusive.
The use of a middleman suggests a desire to obscure the true recipients of the funds, to hide the true nature of these transactions.
The very real legal implications
Legal experts have suggested this payment structure not only deprives the public of crucial information but may also be in violation of federal law. These concerns are not unfounded. At least one legal expert said the arrangement appears to be illegal.
Brendan Fischer, a campaign finance specialist, pointing to FEC rules on candidate disclosures, notes, “When a campaign makes a reimbursement, it must report the payment to the person being reimbursed, and also itemize the underlying vendor. The Red Curve reimbursements don’t provide that itemization, and it’s unclear which lawyers [Donald] is ultimately paying through the scheme.”
Additionally, the arrangement raises questions of an improper in-kind contribution to the campaign. A corporate in-kind contribution is a non-monetary donation made by a corporation to a non-profit organization or a political campaign. These contributions can take various forms, including goods, services, or use of property or facilities and are considered “in-kind” because they’re given in a form other than direct cash to the campaign that still holds a measurable value.
The Campaign Legal Center has filed a complaint with the FEC, but it needs to be taken further.
CLC director of federal reform Saurav Ghosh said, “Available information points to the conclusion that Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign and other Trump-affiliated committees violated federal law by obscuring who they paid for legal services and how much they paid for those services.”
If it’s discovered that these payments are in violation of campaign finance laws, it could result in hefty fines and even criminal charges.
My message to the media (and prosecutors)
The mystery surrounding Donald’s legal bills and their manner of payment continues to deepen. As the public and legal experts alike seek clarity, the spotlight remains firmly on Donald’s legal expenditures.
With Donald, there’s always something. As we continue to cover the known crimes, it’s important to keep an eye out for anything else that might surface.
Donald’s legal troubles — and their impact on us — are far from over. Every day, new revelations come to light, filling in the blanks and there is always more to the story than meets the eye. And it is our duty, as citizens and as seekers of truth, to keep digging, to keep asking questions, until the full picture comes into view.
Indeed everyone should realize by now that donald is psychologically incapable of not swiping other people's money, when given the chance.
I knew as soon as Donald moved his DIL to Chairwoman of GOP that they would be stealing the money for whatever they need. That whole family are nothing but cons and grifters. Donald thinks everything belongs to him. We must fight by biting blue and getting rid of this scourge. Thanks Mary for your hard work.