Topline
People involved in organizing the January 6 “Stop the Steal” protests that led to a deadly riot at the Capitol building received more than $3.5 million from the Trump campaign and its associated fundraising committees, a Wednesday report from the Center for Responsive Politics found.
The US Capital is seen as National Guard secure the the grounds on February 08, 2021 in Washington, … [+]
Key Facts
The new revelation stemmed from a review of recent Federal Election Commission filings by OpenSecrets (an arm of the Center for Responsive Politics).
OpenSecrets also found that at least three people listed on permit records for the Stop the Steal rally were employed by the Trump campaign through the end of November 2020.
The filing also showed payment from the Trump campaign to a company called Event Strategies, Inc., which was named on a permit for the rally and employed two people involved in the events on January 6, OpenSecrets said.
OpenSecrets noted that the full extent of the payments from Trump’s campaign to rally organizers may be much larger because of how the campaign routed hundreds of millions of dollars through shell companies that obscure the name of the ultimate recipient.
Big Number
$771 million. That’s how much the Trump Make America Great Again Committee spent through a shell company called American Made Media Consultants LLC, OpenSecrets found. The New York Times noted in December that the LLC, which at one point counted Trump’s daughter-in-law and senior campaign advisor Lara Trump among its board members, has been criticized for deliberately concealing the recipients of campaign funds. Last summer, the Campaign Legal Center filed a complaint with the FEC alleging that the Trump campaign violated campaign finance laws by “laundering” money through firms run by campaign officials.
Key Background
The deadly events of January 6 are front and center in President Trump’s ongoing impeachment trial. Democrats are arguing that Trump’s false assertions that the election was stolen from him incited his supporters to violence on January 6. Trump’s legal team has disputed that allegation and is arguing that his speech is protected by the First Amendment and that his trial in the Senate is unconstitutional.
Further Reading
Trump’s political operation paid more than $3.5 million to Jan. 6 organizers (Center for Responsive Politics)
How Much Money Will The Capitol Riot Cost Trump? (Forbes)
Trump Raised $250 Million Since Election To Challenge Outcome—Here’s Where Most Of The Money Will Actually Go (Forbes)
Amazon, Intel Join Other Major Companies Suspending Donations To Republicans Involved In Biden Certification Challenge (Forbes)
