Former president Donald Trump's PAC has raised $75 million this year as he's peddled false claims about widespread fraud in the 2020 presidential election, the Washington Post reported Thursday. However, despite pledging to fight the election results in solicitations to donors, Trump hasn't spent a dime of that money to support audits in Arizona or other states.
"Instead, the Save America leadership PAC — which has few limits on how it can spend its money — has paid for some of the former president's travel, legal costs and staff, along with other expenses, according to the people, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe the group's inner workings. The PAC has held onto much of its cash," the Post reported.
MSNBC's Steve Benen wrote that the report again raises the question of whether Trump is "genuinely delusional" and believes he really won the election, or he's "little more than a con man."
"It's an interesting debate, but this new reporting suggests the resolution of the question isn't altogether relevant: regardless of Trump's true beliefs, his apparent priority is making sure his followers keep sending him their money. The scheme is working -- again," Benen wrote.
Here's how Twitter has reacted to the Post's report:
Look up the definition of grift.https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-pac-ballot-reviews/2021/07/22/d451fcaa-e596-11eb-934f-7e6c1927f261_story.html\u00a0\u2026— Jim Sciutto (@Jim Sciutto) 1627006822
So he's, like, living off the STOP THE STEAL money?\n\n"Instead, the Save America leadership PAC \u2014 which has few limits on how it can spend its money \u2014 has paid for some of the former president\u2019s travel, legal costs and staff, along with other expenses..."https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-pac-ballot-reviews/2021/07/22/d451fcaa-e596-11eb-934f-7e6c1927f261_story.html\u00a0\u2026— Rachel Maddow MSNBC (@Rachel Maddow MSNBC) 1626983762
Of course he is pocketing the $75 million - suckers!\n"but the group has not devoted funds to help finance the ongoing ballot review in Arizona or to push for similar endeavors in other states."https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-pac-ballot-reviews/2021/07/22/d451fcaa-e596-11eb-934f-7e6c1927f261_story.html\u00a0\u2026— Amy Siskind \ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08 (@Amy Siskind \ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08) 1626985251
Just like OJ claiming he'd find the real killer......https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-pac-ballot-reviews/2021/07/22/d451fcaa-e596-11eb-934f-7e6c1927f261_story.html\u00a0\u2026— Ron Shillman (@Ron Shillman) 1626987922
Trump\u2019s PAC is a mechanism to move money out of the hands of hard working Americans and into the bank account of a guy who claims to be self-made billionaire.https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-pac-ballot-reviews/2021/07/22/d451fcaa-e596-11eb-934f-7e6c1927f261_story.html\u00a0\u2026— Thomas Vought (@Thomas Vought) 1627041965
Hey MAGA geniuses: Trump\u2019s PAC collected $75 million this year, but so far the group has not put money into pushing for the 2020 ballot reviews he touts - The Washington Posthttps://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-pac-ballot-reviews/2021/07/22/d451fcaa-e596-11eb-934f-7e6c1927f261_story.html\u00a0\u2026— Richard Marx (@Richard Marx) 1627044444
Trump's PAC is just like Trump Org, Trump Casinos, Trump University, Trump presidency. A crooked front to pay Trump's legal bills and loan sharks.pic.twitter.com/GQfI5rq7Wl— ClockOutWars (@ClockOutWars) 1627044490
Who could have imagined that Trump's "Save America" PAC is just fleecing his MAGA suckers for multiple millions rather than protecting "election integrity"? Bernie Madoff, in his grave, WISHES he'd had this kind of chutzpah.https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-pac-ballot-reviews/2021/07/22/d451fcaa-e596-11eb-934f-7e6c1927f261_story.html\u00a0\u2026— Steve Silberman (@Steve Silberman) 1626990817
tRump is and always has been a corrupt con man.\n\ntRump's PAC was ALWAYS about the grift.https://twitter.com/kylegriffin1/status/1418307360188104704\u00a0\u2026— Helis Bor (@Helis Bor) 1627043116
Extra! Extra! Read all about it! Fake billionaire caught fleecing rubes once again!https://news.yahoo.com/trumps-pac-spent-no-money-103019150.html\u00a0\u2026— Mr. Oldman (\ud835\ude23\ud835\ude2d\ud835\ude36\ud835\ude26 \ud835\ude24\ud835\ude29\ud835\ude26\ud835\ude24\ud835\ude2c \ud835\ude28\ud835\ude30\ud835\ude26\ud835\ude34 \ud835\ude29\ud835\ude26\ud835\ude33\ud835\ude26) (@Mr. Oldman (\ud835\ude23\ud835\ude2d\ud835\ude36\ud835\ude26 \ud835\ude24\ud835\ude29\ud835\ude26\ud835\ude24\ud835\ude2c \ud835\ude28\ud835\ude30\ud835\ude26\ud835\ude34 \ud835\ude29\ud835\ude26\ud835\ude33\ud835\ude26)) 1627043520