President Trump is using funding from his reelection campaign in addition to the Republican National Committee to assist paying for lawyers in the wake of the Russia investigation.
Although the Federal Election Commission permits candidates and elected officials to use campaign funds for legal bills, Trump would be the first president in modern campaign finance to use the campaign funds to cover such an investigation, Reuters reported.
In response, Trump’s lead lawyer John Dowd would not say how the legal bills were being paid and told Reuters “That’s none of your business.”
The first payments have already been made and would be disclosed in public filings. The RNC is anticipated to release its August spending on Wednesday, meanwhile, the Trump campaign will release another disclosure by Oct. 15.
The RNC said they have paid unspecified litigation expenses for the campaign that are not related to Russia. The RNC does have a legal funds account to specifically handle legal expenses, which are typically used for Election Day matters, such as recounts. This is separate from the general fund.
Someone familiar with the matter told the Washington Examiner, “there are millions of dollars in this previously established legal funds account.”
Additionally, the RNC has been picking up the tab for campaign-related legal bills since the summer of 2016.
“They have been paid with funds from a pre-existing legal funds account and do not reduce by a dime the resources we can put towards our political work,” Cassie Smedile, RNC press secretary, said.
Campaign filings reveal the Trump campaign has paid Jones Day nearly $4 million for typical campaign legal expenses, such as ballot access disputes, vendor contracts, human resources, among others.
Special Counsel Robert Mueller is investigating whether the Trump campaign colluded with Russia during the 2016 election.
