Former President Donald Trump’s campaign is using GoFundMe to rally its network of wealthy and “ordinary” donors around the assassination attempt on him in July and the destruction caused by Hurricane Helene, going against more traditional avenues of emergency aid.
The two high-profile fundraisers, hosted by the Republican candidate’s national finance director, brought in more than $14 million.
According to legal experts, they do not violate campaign finance laws. A GoFundMe spokesperson told The Associated Press that the majority of funds raised in Butler, Pennsylvania, have been paid out.
The use of a crowdfunding platform constitutes an unorthodox response to the crises experienced since the start of the electoral campaign. Never before has a major party presidential candidate turned to a for-profit company – which typically makes desperate appeals to cover college tuition or medical bills – to mobilize his base for charitable causes exterior.
“It’s quite unusual and even quite bizarre,” said Brett Kappel, a campaign finance lawyer who has advised both Republicans and Democrats.
It’s more common to see candidates donate campaign funds to Internal Revenue Service (IRS)-approved nonprofits during natural disasters, according to Mr. Kappel. He cited Federal Election Commission records that show Sen. Tim Scott’s 2022 campaign donated to the American Red Cross after Hurricane Ian hit South Carolina.
Mr. Trump’s campaign spokesman, Brian Hughes, said the billionaire wanted to “find a way for his supporters to give as much direct support as possible.”
The Republican candidate’s financial team assured that all the money would be paid to those affected. More than US$6.5 million of the US$7.7 million raised for organizations helping with reconstruction after Hurricane Helene had been distributed as of October 11, said Mr. Hughes.
“The president has an incredible movement of supporters. With the event in Butler generating millions of dollars in support, he saw the same opportunity to be a direct conduit for a philanthropic effort on the part of his supporters,” he said.
Allies are mobilizing
Longtime associates of Donald Trump, conservative celebrities and right-wing groups have donated tens of thousands of dollars. Bill Ackman, CEO of investment firm Pershing Square, who supported Mr. Trump shortly after the assassination attempt, donated US$100,000 to hurricane victims. UFC President Dana White also donated US$100,000. Republican Senator Rick Scott said on the social network X that he had donated US$50,000 for the victims in Butler, Pennsylvania. The Heritage Foundation, the conservative think tank behind “Project 2025,” also weighed in.
GoFundMe charges a transaction fee of 2.9% plus 30 cents for each donation to cover credit and debit fees. The company’s security team communicated closely with organizer Meredith O’Rourke to ensure the secure distribution of donations from Butler’s page, according to a company spokesperson. O’Rourke also provided a verified distribution plan, the GoFundMe spokesperson told The Associated Press, something the company routinely requires in cases where organizers withdraw money on behalf of others. beneficiaries.
According to Andrew Herman, a Washington lawyer specializing in campaign finance, it is not advisable to run crowdfunding pages online since the practice is less regulated. In his opinion, it would have been “more acceptable” to direct supporters to a recognized non-profit organization.
“People get themselves into trouble when they try to attribute to campaigns a certain rationality or a certain degree of what we generally consider best financial practices,” Mr. Herman said.
“There’s no law that says they can’t do that. Should they do it? Of course not,” he added.
The bulk of the payments in Pennsylvania were made earlier this month and more payments will be made as long as the page remains active, Hughes said. The “vast majority” went to the families of the three people shot, he said. Part of the funds also compensated a local crane rental company, whose owner said he lost business when the ensuing police investigation prevented him from recovering equipment he had donated for the gathering.
Money raised for Hurricane Helene victims went to four nonprofit organizations.
