Donald Trump’s political operation has helped pay the legal expenses of more than a dozen people contacted by prosecutors investigating the former president, tying up millions of dollars that otherwise could be used for his 2024 White House bid.
Reuters has identified 13 potential witnesses or co-defendants who were represented by law firms that received payments from a political group run by Trump, based on interviews and a review of court records and campaign finance disclosures. The payments were disclosed in campaign finance reports as general payments to law firms rather than specific payments to individuals.
Those law firms, which include Brand Woodward, Dhillon Law Group and Greenberg Traurig, received more than $2.1 million in the first six months of this year from Save America, a Trump group that is separate from his campaign but played a major role raising money to support him as the frontrunner for the 2024 Republican nomination.
The funds represent a significant chunk of the more than $21 million that Save America’s disclosures to the Federal Election Commission show it spent on legal expenses during that period, a sum that could grow substantially if the group keeps paying legal expenses that are expected to balloon in the coming year.
Some legal experts say campaign finance rules appear to allow Save America’s spending on legal bills involving Trump because the group is registered as a “leadership committee,” which faces few restrictions on spending. Others say, however, that prosecutors may scrutinize the payments for signs of any effort to influence witness testimony.
Four lawyers and legal experts consulted by Reuters said Trump’s defense in four criminal prosecutions could cost over $50 million, more than all the money raised in the first half of this year by Trump’s campaign and its top allied super PAC, Make America Great Again Inc, known as MAGA Inc. Save America’s spending on Trump’s legal problems could alienate some voters.
A Reuters/Ipsos poll in August found about 60% of Republicans thought it appropriate for Trump to spend political donations on his legal issues but 40% considered it inappropriate.
As its legal spending accelerated earlier this year, Save America clawed back about $12 million of the roughly $60 million it had given to MAGA Inc, which has been spending heavily on television ads backing Trump, according to financial disclosures Save America filed with the Federal Election Commission.
Jason Osborne, who advised Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign, said the legal bills could make Trump rely more on other allied groups, such as the Republican Party, to cover costs around the former president’s election effort. This is going to have an impact,” Osborne said.
Reuters was not able to confirm how much money Save America spent on Trump’s own lawyers versus lawyer fees for witnesses and co-defendants. Save America’s Federal Election Commission filings show spending described as legal expenses accelerated early this year as prosecutors took action against Trump.
Reuters could not confirm if other Trump associates beyond the 13 identified also received support from Save America for legal bills. A federal prosecutor said in an August court hearing that Trump’s political group paid legal fees for more than a dozen witnesses associated with Trump’s indictment for his alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election.
Source: eNCA
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