The RNC Is Paying Trump’s Personal Legal Bills in Investigation Into His Financial Practices
(Tasos Katopodis, Getty Images)
The Republican National Committee is paying for some of former President Donald Trump’s legal bills.
The Washington Post reported on Monday night that the RNC is using some party funds to pay Ronald Fischetti, a lawyer representing the former president in the ongoing New York investigations into his finances.
In October, the RNC made two payments totaling $121,670 to the law firm of Ronald Fischetti, a veteran defense attorney whom Trump hired in April. According to a person with direct knowledge of the payments, the requests came earlier this summer but were only voted on by the party’s executive committee in recent weeks…
A person familiar with the RNC’s decision who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal discussions said the organization was willing to foot the bills because James has made comments that she wanted to go after Trump.
The Trump Organization hired Fischetti in April to represent them in the investigation from Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance’s office. Fischetti is also representing Trump in the investigation from New York Attorney General Letitia James.
The party confirmed the payments in a statement to the Post, stating, “As a leader of our party, defending President Trump and his record of achievement is critical to the GOP. It is entirely appropriate for the RNC to continue assisting in fighting back against the Democrats’ never ending witch hunt and attacks on him.”
Republican National Committee chair Ronna McDaniel has embraced Trump as the future of the party. She recently said that if the former president left the GOP, “we would lose.”
“If he left the party, Republicans would lose. He has built our party. He has added a new base.”
ABC News’ Jon Karl reported in his new book Betrayal that on his last day in office, Trump raged at McDaniel and said he would start his own party.
McDaniel is reported to have said, “If you do, we will lose forever.”
When asked about Karl’s reporting, McDaniel said it’s false.
