Checks & Imbalances: The Trump Issue

Welcome to the Checks & Imbalances newsletter. Today we take a deep look, again, at the biggest story in money and politics: Donald Trump.

Trump’s Business Has Now Received More Than $100,000 Of Campaign Money From Arizona Gubernatorial Candidate

The campaign for Arizona gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake has now spent at least $108,000 at the former president’s properties.

In April and May, Lake’s campaign dropped $18,000 at Mar-a-Lago for “event expenses,” according to a campaign report filed Friday. Lake’s campaign already had been among the biggest spenders at Trump properties, according to an analysis of federal and state campaign disclosures. 

Trump endorsed Lake, a former news anchor of Fox’s Phoenix affiliate, in September. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) and former football player Herschel Walker, who is running for the senate from Georgia, have also spent more than $100,000 of campaign money at Trump’s businesses. The former president endorsed them, too.

The director of fundraising for Lake’s campaign did not address a question about any connection between the spending and endorsement. “It’s called fundraising, and we have out-raised everyone in the race,” Lisa Dale said. “What do you expect these properties to do? Give us their services for free? That would be illegal and much more scandalous than just simply paying our bills when they are due. Why aren’t you writing about the other monies we have spent to fundraise at other properties? Because anything with the word Trump in it gets more clicks. We know how the game is played. “

Voting in Arizona’s primary ends Aug. 2. Polling shows Lake with a single-digit lead over her nearest opponent.

Spokespeople for the Trump Organization did not respond to requests for comment.

Previously: “Trump-Endorsed Candidates Have Funneled At Least $1.4 Million Into His Businesses”

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In Case You Missed It

What Happens To Trump’s $101 Million War Chest If He Announces He’s Running For President?

“Former President Donald Trump has been raking in cash since he lost the 2020 election. His leadership PAC, a group called Save America that he formed in November 2020, has collected nearly $130 million,” reports Kyle Mullins:

The moment he declares another run for the presidency, however, Trump’s grasp on that money will loosen. The exact amount of control he’ll lose is an open question—one that depends on how much the former president is willing to push campaign-finance boundaries and whether the Federal Election Commission is willing to rein him in.

Leadership PACs like Save America are often used by politicians to raise funds for other people seeking higher office. So far, Trump’s group, which had $101 million on hand as of May 31, has spent much of its money on things that look like traditional campaign expenses—buying ads, booking travel and hosting rallies. If Trump announces that he’s running for president again, most experts say those costs would have to be paid by his official campaign committee, not Save America. “The purposes of leadership PACs are not that they be used as an alternate campaign committee on behalf of the candidate for president,” said Ann Ravel, a former Democratic commissioner of the FEC. Karl Sandstrom, another Democrat who formerly served as an FEC commissioner, agreed: “If you’re running nationally, how do you make the claim that none of this [spending] is in support of your own election?”

Eric Trump Joins Family In Leaving New York, Declaring Florida His Official Residence

Eric Trump changed his official residence from New York to Florida in March, following in his father’s footsteps, according to a declaration of domicile filed with the Palm Beach County Clerk’s office.

The previous April, Eric and his wife Lara closed on a $3.2 million, five-bedroom home by Trump National Golf Club, Jupiter. Although the purchase has gained some attention, the fact that Eric officially changed his domicile does not appear to have been previously reported. “Yes, that is correct,” the former president’s son, who helps oversee the Trump Organization, confirmed in an email. “I’m out of New York. Leased my apartment, moved my family, put my kids in new school in Florida.” 

Florida does not levy a state income tax, unlike New York, which taxes its highest earners at 8.82%.

Donald Trump, a lifelong New Yorker, switched his state of residence to Florida in 2019, tweeting “My family and I will be making Palm Beach, Florida, our permanent residence. I cherish New York, and the people of New York, and always will, but unfortunately, despite the fact that I pay millions of dollars in city, state and local taxes each year, I have been treated very badly by the political leaders of both the city and state.”

Don Jr. officially declared himself a Florida resident in December 2021, with his younger brother following three months later.

Trump Urges Golfers To Join Saudi-Backed LIV Tour: ‘Take The Money’

“Former President Donald Trump expressed full-throated support for LIV Golf in a post on his Truth Social social media platform Monday afternoon, calling for all golfers to join it amid loudening criticism of Trump over his involvement with the Saudi-funded rival to the PGA Tour,” reports Derek Saul:

All golfers should “take the money now” and defect from the PGA Tour to join LIV Golf, Trump wrote.

Trump will host two of the series’ eight 2022 tournaments at his country clubs, including an event at his Trump National Golf Club Bedminster in New Jersey next week.

Trump asserted the golfers should be proactive before the “inevitable MERGER” occurs between the two golf circuits–something that hasn’t been proposed at this point.

Those who stay on the “very disloyal” PGA Tour will eventually “pay a big price,” Trump wrote.

Tracking Trump

Forbes continues to update “Tracking Trump: A Rundown Of All The Lawsuits And Investigations Involving The Former President.” Among the latest developments: the Secret Service informed the House Jan. 6 committee that it does not have any additional text messages to turn over.

In lieu of flowers, the Trump family requested that mourners honor the memory of Ivana Trump with donations to Big Dog Ranch Rescue. The group typically holds two of its biggest annual fundraisers at Trump properties. Big Dog Ranch Rescue’s IRS filings for 2017 through 2020 don’t list any major in-kind contributions from the Trump Organization.

• “Members of the Republican Study Committee thanked former VP Mike Pence for his courage on Jan 6 & offered encouraging words about 2024, per attendees. Pence, however, said he was focused on helping the House GOP win the midterms and offered to campaign for them,” tweeted Melanie Zanona of CNN on Wednesday. Just more than a year ago, the Republican Study Committee gathered at a Trump golf course in New Jersey (a state none of them represented).
• “Word of Trump Media Deal Is Said to Have Leaked Months in Advance” (The New York Times)
• “9/11 families blast Trump invite to Saudi-backed golf tour” (The Associated Press)
• “3 of Trump’s high-profile Senate picks — Dr. Oz, Herschel Walker, and JD Vance — are in serious trouble despite a favorable 2022 midterm climate for the GOP” (Insider)
• “Lawsuit Claims Trump’s Lawyer Called AG ‘That Black B*tch’” (The Daily Beast)

Editor’s Picks

• “Federal and state candidates who attended the Jan. 6 demonstrations attract millions in donations but face mixed election results” (Open Secrets)
• “Amazon C.E.O. Andy Jassy Breaks From the Bezos Way” (The New York Times)
• “A Republican congressman who wants the government to spend more money on defense just bought stock in two defense contractors” (Insider)
• “A Republican senator who helps oversee military policy just sold up to $100,000 worth of defense contractor Lockheed Martin stock” (Insider)
• “Oyster Bay Residents Charged with $27 Million Investment Fraud Scheme and Selling Foreign Nationals Access to Prominent U.S. Politicians” (Department of Justice)
• “The FEC has questions about how a PAC backing Blake Masters is disclosing its spending” (The Arizona Mirror)
• “Senate Democrats’ campaign arm sees Roe surge, outraises GOP counterpart in second quarter” (ABC News)
• “State legislators passed abortion bans. These corporations sent checks.” (Popular Information)
• “GOP’s grassroots money problem” (Axios)
• “Ohio Senate candidate Vance asking donors to help pay debts” (Roll Call)
• “Nebraska governor makes big donation to take out Greitens” (Politico)
• “Sen. Markey adviser moves to Families USA” (LegiStorm)
• “Sen. Wicker LA heads to health-care lobbying team” (LegiStorm)
• “Rep. Wild staffer moves to life-sciences lobbying group” (LegiStorm)
• “The Manchin Aide Turned Corporate Shill” (The Lever)
• “Paladino campaign loan gives him strong financial lead over Langworthy” (The Buffalo News)
• “Sarah Palin Tied to Builder Who Allegedly Bribed Trump Administration” (The Daily Beast)
• “Wealthy space entrepreneur who has pushed for exploration of aliens and the afterlife donates $10 million to DeSantis” (CNN)
• “Resources for Finding Donors to Political Dark Money Groups” (Issue One)

In Closing

You might have laughed if I told you

You might have hidden your frown

You might have succeeded in changing me

I might have been turned around

It’s easier to leave than to be left behind

Leaving was never my proud

Leaving New York, never easy

I saw the light fading out

— R.E.M., “Leaving New York”