YIKES

Trump, RNC Forced to Refund Millions After Repeating Donation Grift

More than $12.8 million was refunded in the first six months of 2021, newly released federal records show.

You’ll be shocked to learn that Donald Trump’s campaign fundraising tactics were apparently not entirely above board. From the 2020 campaign through today, Donald Trump, the Republican National Committee, and their shared accounts have reportedly been forced to refund more than $135 million in donated funds, the New York Times reports. Beginning last September, the Times reports, the Trump campaign responded to a cash shortage by routing donors into recurring payments with a pre-checked box on its online form—and another that added a second donation, called a “money bomb.” (The FEC has since unanimously recommended that Congress prohibit such tactics, and legislation to do so has been introduced in the House and Senate.)

Trump, the RNC, and their shared accounts returned $12.8 million in the first six months of 2021, newly released federal records show. Since Election Day, they’ve refunded more than $60 million. Trump campaign spokesman Jason Miller did not respond to the Times’ request for comment, but previously defended the fundraising tactics by saying that only 0.87 percent of transactions (about 200,000) received formal credit card disputes last year from unsatisfied customers. Sounds like they’re doing great.