Support is growing among Republican National Committee members that the organization's campaign arm should pay Donald Trump's mounting legal bills.
An increasing number of committee members — possibly even a majority — are in favor of helping the former president pay his lawyers in four criminal cases and at least three civil cases as he seems to have locked down the party's nomination for president, reported CNBC.
“I support the RNC paying President Trump’s legal bills,” said Oregon committeeman Solomon Yue, who believes "more than a majority" agrees.
A proposed resolution failed Tuesday that would have barred the RNC from paying Trump's legal fees, which some committee members now believe will be necessary to get him elected.
“Winning this lawfare is to defeat Biden’s re-election in November,” Yue said. "The only mission of the Republican National Committee is to elect our presumptive nominee Trump as the 47th president."
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The RNC had just $8.7 million on hand at the start of last month after raising around $11 million, but committee members expect those numbers to rise once Trump can fundraise with the organization.
But Trump owes more than half a billion dollars in damages after civil trials for defamation and fraud, and owes millions in lawyers fees for his ongoing criminal cases.
His daughter-in-law Lara Trump, who he has proposed should be co-chair of the RNC, has said publicly that his fees should be paid by the committee.
“The only funds the RNC will have (above keeping the lights on and hopefully making payroll) will come from the amazing efforts of Trump to raise money,” said committee member Paul Reynolds, of Alabama, in an email. “So the new money coming into the RNC will be due to the efforts of Trump and the Trump organization (not the current cash-strapped RNC)."
"What then is my basis/argument for not paying Trump’s legal expenses when it is money the Trump organization is bringing to the table?” Reynolds added.
