NEWS: Trump Campaign Paid Organizers of Pre-Riot Rally $2.…

Former President Donald Trump’s campaign paid more than $2.7 million to individuals and firms that organized the Jan. 6 rally that led to violent rioters storming the U.S. Capitol, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.

The payments, which span Trump’s re-election campaign, show an ongoing financial relationship between the rally’s organizers and Trump’s political operation.

The payments were all made through Nov. 23, the most recent date covered by Federal Election Commission filings, which is before the rally was publicly announced.

Eight paid Trump campaign officials were named on the permit issued on by the National Park Service for the rally, including Maggie Mulvaney, the niece of Mick Mulvaney,

Maggie Mulvaney was paid $138,000 by the campaign through Nov. 23.

After the rally, in which the president encouraged them to march on the Capitol, Trump supporters stormed the building, disrupting the count of Electoral College votes in an event that ultimately killed five people.

Megan Powers, listed as one of two operations managers on the permit, was paid $290,000 by the Trump campaign from February 2019 through the most recent filing period. She served as director of operations for Trump’s campaign.

Caroline Wren, a top GOP fundraiser who was listed on the permit as an advisor to the rally and Ronald Holden, the backstage manager, were also paid by the campaign.

The biggest recipient of campaign funds was Event Strategies Inc., which was paid more than $1.7 million by Trump’s campaign and joint fundraising committee. The firm’s owners, Justin Caporale and Tim Unes, served as rally production manager and stage manager, respectively.

Women for America First, the nonprofit organization that requested the permit on Nov. 24, originally for an event to be held on Jan. 23, had a financial relationship with America First Policies, the pro-Trump nonprofit formed to advance his agenda shortly after he took office.

America First Policies made a $25,000 grant to Women for America First in 2019, its most recent tax return shows.

Shell companies and ‘dark money’ may hide details of Trump ties to DC protests https://t.co/xS0d9eSV7n via @OpenSecretsDC

FEC disclosures do not necessarily provide a complete picture of the campaign’s financial dealings since so much of its spending was routed through shell companies, making it difficult to know who the campaign paid and when.

For example, Women for America First submitted the permit to the National Park Services and other 501(c)(4) nonprofits from Turning Point Action to the Rule of Law Defense Fund also helped organize and promote the rally.

Since these groups only report minimal information about their financial dealings, information on who they pay and who provides their funding remains hidden.

NEWS: Trump Campaign Paid Organizers of Pre-Riot Rally $2.7 Million

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