The Trump campaign is pleading for one million donations as a financial crisis approaches
Two days after the former president was unable to get bail to satisfy a $454 million verdict in a civil fraud lawsuit, Donald Trump’s campaign on Wednesday asked for contributions from one million of his supporters and threatened to take away his properties in New York.
An email to supporters from a joint fundraising organization that donates its proceeds to Trump’s campaign and another political group that has been covering his legal expenses says, “KEEP YOUR FILTHY HANDS OFF OF TRUMP TOWER!”
One of Trump’s several legal troubles before a rematch with Democratic President Joe Biden on November 5, 2022, is the civil fraud action, which was initiated by New York State Attorney General Letitia James in September 2022.
The text message, which asks supporters to give $20.24 to $3,300 or a predetermined sum, accuses James of seeking to confiscate Trump’s assets and frames her activities as a part of a larger scheme by Democrats and Biden to undermine his reelection campaign.
The campaign statement said, “So before the day is over, I’m calling on ONE MILLION pro-Trump patriots to chip in and say: STOP THE WITCH HUNT AGAINST PRESIDENT TRUMP!” According to Biden, he is not connected to any of the allegations brought against Trump. The Biden team chose not to respond.
The fundraising message directs contributors to the joint fundraising page, via which Trump usually requests contributions from his followers. Although James’ situation is mentioned, it is not stated that money would be allocated for that reason.
It’s uncertain whether Trump could use the money to cover the cost of the ruling. Trump claims his legal defense is campaign-related, therefore, he has been allowed to utilize contributor money to cover some of his legal bills, even though it is illegal for him to use campaign funds for personal reasons.
Trump is getting closer to the risk of having his properties taken after his attorneys informed a New York appeal court on Monday that their client had been turned down for a bond to meet the large civil fraud award by thirty surety firms.
In order to prevent the state from seizing property while he appeals Justice Arthur Engoron’s ruling from February 16 accusing him of misrepresenting property values to deceive lenders and insurers, Trump must either pay the amount out of his own pocket or post a bail.
Trump posted a $91.6 million bail earlier this month to pay the $83.3 million defamation award for writer E. Jean Carroll while he files an appeal. The lawsuit stemmed from Trump calling Carroll a liar after she claimed he had raped her decades before. In the several legal and criminal proceedings that threaten his real estate ventures and campaign, he has always denied any wrongdoing.
