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Much Ado About Nothing: Trump Campaign Spent $55,000 on His Latest Book

17211877253_52c82721d1_hClown paint spokesperson Donald Trump caught new criticism from the media this week when they learned that the campaign spent $55,000 on the latest Trump book and distributed them as swag at the Republican convention.

Recent FTC filings show that the Trump campaign spent $55,055 at in May to an unknown number of copies of his book,  Great Again: How to Fix Our Crippled America.

According to the Daily Beast, this is a problem because:

Federal campaign law dictates that campaign spending must not “result in the conversion of campaign funds to the personal use of the candidate or any other person.”

In 2014, the FEC issued an advisory opinion allowing GOP Rep. Paul Ryan to buy copies of his book The Way Forward from his publisher at a “discounted bulk rate”—provided there were no royalties paid to the Congressman.

Sigh.

This is such a minor story that I have to wonder whether it was a slow news day. I mean, I dislike Trump as much as the next person but this story is relatively unimportant compared to his refusal to release his tax returns, or the scandal about the rent his campaign paid for its space in Trump Tower skyrocketing once donors were footing the bill.

Those are scandals; this story barely rates as an accounting report.

Next!

image by Gage Skidmore

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Comments


Hrafn August 25, 2016 um 11:03 pm

I would point out that this is legal under FEC rules only if Trump foregoes royalties on these books.

Nate Hoffelder August 26, 2016 um 12:12 am

Yes, which is why I am so underwhelmed by the story. There’s no juicy scandal here.

Frank August 26, 2016 um 9:05 am

Trump is likely getting royalties on these books purchases, but this is a still a forgettabl,e minor issue.


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