Source: Politics<\/p>\n
Former President Donald Trump\u2019s leadership PAC spent another $2.9 million on legal expenses in January, underscoring how his legal woes continue to suck up resources in an election year.<\/p>\n
The group, Save America, has been the primary vehicle for paying Trump\u2019s legal fees, to the tune of more than $50 million last year. In a campaign finance filing Tuesday, Save America said it had received another $5 million from MAGA Inc. The pro-Trump super PAC sent $42 million to Save America last year to help cover legal costs.<\/p>\n
The latest refund helped fund the $2.9 million in legal spending by Save America. That amount was less than the PAC devoted to legal fees in past months but still accounted for most of its spending. The leadership PAC was left with $6.3 million in the bank at the end of January.<\/p>\n
High costs have dogged Trump\u2019s political operation this cycle, driven by the high legal bills paid by Save America. The former president\u2019s web of political committees spent more than they collectively raised last year<\/a>, and the campaign finance filings submitted to the Federal Election Commission on Tuesday showed the large spending, including on legal fees, continued in January.<\/p>\n Trump has a complex political money machine involving a web of committees, including his campaign, Save America leadership PAC, MAGA Inc. super PAC, and others. Tuesday\u2019s filings don\u2019t represent the full scope of that operation because Trump\u2019s primary fundraising vehicle, the Trump Save America Joint Fundraising Committee, files reports on a quarterly basis.<\/p>\n The former president\u2019s campaign itself spent $11.4 million last month, with advertising accounting for its largest spending category, according to Tuesday\u2019s filings. Media buys accounted for the largest single expense area with $4.6 million in spending, followed by direct mail and SMS advertising, a combined more than $1.3 million.<\/p>\n Trump\u2019s campaign committee said it raised $8.8 million, with most of that amount coming through transfers from his joint fundraising committee. It reported ending the month with $30.5 million on hand \u2014 which represents just a portion of Trump\u2019s political war chest, since likely millions more are held by his joint fundraising committee.<\/p>\n The joint fundraising committee will not file new campaign finance reports until April. It typically splits what it raises 90-10 between Trump\u2019s campaign and the Save America leadership PAC after covering the costs of raising the money. In practice, the joint fundraising committee\u2019s fundraising costs are significant: In the second half of 2023, 57 percent of the money raised by the joint fundraising committee ended up going to Trump\u2019s campaign.<\/p>\n MAGA Inc. \u2014 which is technically independent of his political operation \u2014 reported netting nearly $7.4 million in the first month of the year. The organization\u2019s biggest donor was Timothy Mellon, a longtime GOP megadonor who gave $5 million.<\/p>\n Mellon, notably, is also a significant backer of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.\u2019s independent bid, having previously bankrolled a pro-Kennedy super PAC with millions<\/a>.<\/p>\n But much of the super PAC\u2019s money has been drained by the transfers to Save America for legal fees. MAGA Inc\u2019s spending on independent expenditures \u2014 generally advertising either boosting Trump or attacking one of his rivals or get-out-the-vote activities \u2014 was only about $100,000 more than the amount it refunded back to Save America to fund Trump\u2019s legal defense.<\/p>\n