“I don’t think it’s appropriate for the committee to pay the legal bills” Trump Eyes RNC Leadership for Personal Gain Amid Legal Fee Concerns
(Alex Brandon/AP)
According to Anthony Scaramucci, a former White House communications chief under Donald Trump’s administration, Donald Trump’s interest in taking control of the Republican National Committee (RNC) is primarily motivated by a desire to use its financial resources for personal gain. Scaramucci voiced his concerns on Wednesday, suggesting that Trump’s potential restructuring of the RNC’s leadership could lead to the organization shouldering his considerable legal expenses.
“Trump is out of money which is why he is going hard at Ronna Romney so he can take over the RNC treasury,” Scaramucci said.
This perspective aligns with reports from POLITICO, which has conversed with various senior Republican figures who are apprehensive about the possibility of the RNC being co-chaired by Lara Trump, a former television producer married to Trump’s son Eric, and Michael Whatley, the RNC’s general counsel. Critics fear that such an arrangement would result in the RNC’s funds being diverted to serve Trump’s interests.
The current RNC chairwoman, Ronna McDaniel, is rumored to be considering resignation, with insiders close to her revealing her potential plans to step down. The selection of her successor will require the endorsement of RNC members, and a meeting slated for March could potentially confirm the new co-chairs.
Among RNC members, there’s a widespread concern regarding the financial implications of covering Trump’s legal expenses, which have already exceeded $52 million. Mississippi committeeman Henry Barbour expressed that while many RNC members are inclined to support Trump’s agenda, there might be resistance to using RNC funds for his legal costs.
“I don’t think it’s appropriate for the committee to pay the legal bills for things done outside the work of the committee,” another committee member Oscar Brock said.
Echoing this sentiment, committee member Oscar Brock emphasized the inappropriateness of allocating committee resources to settle legal fees unrelated to the committee’s activities. He pointed out that the RNC’s recently approved budget, formulated in Las Vegas two weeks prior, did not include provisions for Trump’s legal expenses.
However, Brock conceded that the RNC might reconsider its financial strategy should Trump make such a request. On a contrasting note, Vermont committeeman Jay Shepard expressed confidence that Trump would face no obstacles within the RNC, implying that the organization might readily acquiesce to his demands.
“He will get what he wants at this RNC,” he said.
Senior adviser to Trump’s campaign Chris LaCivita, suggested that the RNC fronting the legal costs is “manufactured” and that he already has ample support from Trump’s PAC Save America and directly from the president’s pocketbook.
“President Trump made clear that the number one priority of the RNC was to stop cheating. And that will be reflected in the budget and that will be reflected in personnel and that will be reflected in activity,” he continued.
Already, the RNC paid two legal firms about $2 million for handling Trump cases in 2021 and 2022 before turning off the faucet after Trump launched his campaign for a second term.
