President Donald Trump's reelection campaign has been stiffing local police forces out of hundreds of thousands of dollars, a new report from The Center for Public Integrity reveals.
According to the report, ten city governments from across the country say they still haven't received reimbursement from the Trump campaign for the costs they incurred when local police officers were used to provide security for Trump campaign events.
Amy Brewer, the mayor of Lebanon, Ohio, tells the Center for Public Integrity that the Trump campaign is still on the hook for over $16,000 after the president held a campaign rally in her city last October.
“There’s a lot of benefit when a president comes here: economic benefits, more visibility for our community,” she explained. “But I would hope and believe the Trump campaign would pay its bills. It’s our taxpayer dollars.”
In total, the Center found that the Trump campaign has racked up $841,219 in unpaid police detail bills across the country -- and some of the bills are three years old.
Richard Myers, a former police chief who serves as the executive director of the Major Cities Chiefs Association, tells the Center that these unpaid bills can do real harm to city governments.
"The fiscal impact on local governments, especially during campaign seasons in critical vote states or communities, can be significant," he said. "When one considers how much money campaigns raise and spend, it does not seem unreasonable to expect some degree of reimbursement for such demands for service."