The Trump campaign paid $3.8 million in legal bills in May as former President Donald Trump faced multiple felony charges in a New York court.
On June 20, three of the political committees associated with the Trump campaign issued monthly disclosure statements with the Federal Election Commission showing the various legal fees paid out in May.
Save America, the former president’s qualified leadership political action committee, covered most of the costs. Federal records show the PAC paid out about $3.7 million to various firms for legal consulting and reimbursement for legal expenses. Additionally, the PAC ended the month indebted by about $862,000 to various legal firms for their services.
Smaller amounts were paid by the principal campaign committee, Donald J. Trump for President 2024 Inc., and the super PAC Make America Great Again Inc.
According to FEC records, Save America took in just $4,337.62 in May. However, it ended the month with $4.5 million in cash on hand.
Effect of Trial
In June, Republicans credited their fundraising windfall to what they called outrage over a “sham” conviction of former President Trump in a New York court.On June 21, former President Trump repeated his claim that he did “nothing wrong.”
In a June 20 press memo, Biden campaign Rapid Response Director Ammar Moussa needled the Trump campaign about its continued use of political funds on law firms.
“Now that a jury of his peers found him guilty of 34 felonies, he’s only going to be spending millions MORE of his campaign cash on appeals and more cases,” Mr. Moussa said in a memo.
Since the ruling was handed down, the Biden campaign has leaned in on calling former President Trump a felon. On June 17, Biden For President announced a $50 million advertising plan in so-called battleground states that promote the message that the former president is “a criminal.”
With the general election now less than six months away, the former president still awaits several trials.
The former president denies wrongdoing and has repeatedly called the charges against him politically motivated.