Donald Trump spent over $50 million in PAC donor money on legal fees in 2023. The vast majority went to firms working on his personal legal problems.
  • Donald Trump spent $52,431,858 on legal fees in 2023 using PAC funds, a Business Insider analysis found.
  • The vast majority — nearly $40 million — went to law firms working on his personal legal problems.
  • Trump spent this small fortune in donor money on his legal fees despite being a billionaire.

Former President Donald Trump has a lot of legal problems.

So do his company and three eldest children.

Often, political donors are footing the bill.

A Business Insider analysis has found that Trump supporters funded at least $52,431,858 in legal services in 2023 through two political action committees the GOP frontrunner controls.

Nearly $40 million of the $52.4 million in donor money was spent on law firms working on cases that had nothing to do with Trump’s candidacy for the 2024 presidential election, the analysis found.

The legions of MAGA faithful may not have been aware of this when they parted with their small-dollar donations last year, galvanized by Trump’s cries of “witch hunt” as he was indicted in a New York hush-money scheme in April and a Georgia election-interference case in August.

But significant portions of their donations went to law firms defending Trump in civil cases involving his real-estate empire and its top executives, including Donald Trump Jr., Eric Trump, and Ivanka Trump.

  • WraithGear@lemmy.world
    16·
    7 months ago

    The PAC may have considered the costs strategic value. Trump is their nominee, and his removal would cause a power vacuum. This would splinter the vote-base and hand the victory to the democrats.

    As for the individuals who still donated… if after all the horrible bullshit the republicans have done, well not paying trumps fees and risking his removal would be akin to not participating at all. So they have no choice but to be satisfied with the cost.

    But it does point out the quagmire that drains the PAC’s funds that could have been used in the campaign, and thats an obstacle of their own making.

    • Upsidedownturtle@lemmy.world
      6·
      7 months ago

      Definitely has some strategic value. According to polls a sizable fraction have said they wouldn’t vote for a convicted candidate, so in effort to not lose voters he has to delay cases past the election or obtain not guilty verdicts.

      • sharkaccident@lemmy.world
        1·
        7 months ago

        Problem is getting a conviction in time. Of all the criminal cases, the only one that might have a verdict in time is the hush money one and I don’t think that rises to a felony.