Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., condemned Donald Trump’s proposal to bar Muslims from entering the United States, but he could benefit from the billionaire’s special guest status at a fundraiser Friday afternoon.
The Commonwealth Club luncheon, hosted by the Republican Party of Pennsylvania, took place at the upscale Plaza Hotel in New York City and was billed as an opportunity for deep-pocketed donors to hear more from the Republican front-runner. Pennsylvania GOP Chairman Rob Gleason made clear it was not an endorsement of Trump.
Tickets to the luncheon started at $1,000, but attendees could contribute up to $10,000 for a table of 10 or $2,500 to attend a VIP photo op with Trump before the event began.
Megan Sweeney, a spokeswoman for the state Republican Party, told local media the party plans to put the total sum raised off the luncheon toward its operations.
While Pennsylvania election laws prohibit state parties from contributing more than $10,000 directly to the campaigns of candidates for federal office, the party could use the funds to cover other expenses to the benefit of Toomey, the state’s incumbent Republican senator who’s running for re-election in 2016.
Toomey condemned Trump’s controversial proposal shortly after the campaign announced the plan Monday evening.
Trump is wrong. We should not have a religious test for admission to U.S. We should have a security test, and it should be bullet proof.
— Pat Toomey (@PatToomey) December 8, 2015
He also declined to attend Friday’s event, citing an unnamed “scheduling conflict.”
According to the Morning Call, a hefty sum of Pennsylvania GOP’s spending next year “will go toward broad voter efforts like phone banks and door-knocking… aimed at boosting turnout among voters supporting Republicans,” including Toomey.
During the 2010 midterm election, the party spent more than $40,000 on campaign materials for Toomey, according to reports.
Trump’s campaign did not respond to the Washington Examiner’s request for comment.
