The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Jan. 16, 2025
Today’s Script
(Variations occur with audio due to editing for time. Today’s Links below the script)
Our recent reporting explored the massive contributions to Donald Trump’s inaugural fund, reportedly reaching $170 Million dollars. What are the rules as to how that money is spent? The short answer is, there aren’t any.
The Federal Election Commissions allows private donations to support inaugural activities. This year, that’s a parade, a rally, two luncheons, a tea, three dinners, three inaugural balls, and fireworks at Trump’s Sterling golf club. The FEC requires reporting of donations over $200 dollars, but sets no limits or dictates how it’s used. Of the known inaugural donors, crypto platform Ripple has contributed the most, at $5 Million dollars.
Taxpayers foot some of the bill, including security for the inauguration itself. Let’s say that the Trump inauguration has 12 events, and they cost an astronomical $2 million dollars each – a whopping $24 Million dollars. That leaves $146 Million left. When the inauguration is over, will we know how the leftover money will be used?
We won’t. While a Trump campaign source told the New York Times some would be used for Trump’s Presidential library, there are no rules dictating how that money is used.
The Inaugural Fund Integrity Act is expected to be re-introduced in Congress in January, which would set a limit of $50,000, require immediate disclosure of contributions over $1000, and ban corporate and SuperPAC donations. But the legislation STILL doesn’t require disclosure of how that extra money gets spent.
Find more at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org. I’m Brian Beihl.
Today’s Links
Articles & Resources:
Yahoo Finance – (2017) Here’s how much an inauguration costs, and who pays for it
Congressional Research Service – (2013) The Presidential Inauguration: Basic Facts and
Information
Federal Election Commission – Funding inaugural committee activities
CBS News – (2014) How much do state dinners cost? They ain’t cheap
Spectrum News – Trump’s second inauguration celebration will last four days. Here’s the schedule
National Archives – Federal Code § 104.21 Reporting by inaugural committees.
Public Citizen – Billionaires, Millionaires and Lobbyists Cozy Up to Trump by Flooding the Inauguration with Record-Breaking Donations
Public Citizen – Contribution Tracker: Corporations and Billionaires Funnel Millions Into Trump Inauguration Committee
U.S. Congress – H.R.6312 – Inaugural Fund Integrity Act
Groups Taking Action:
Common Cause, Public Citizen, C.R.E.W., Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon
Register or Check Your Voter Registration:
U.S. Election Assistance Commission – Register And Vote in Your State
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