Former President Donald Trump took money raised by his supporters and spent it on rent for office space, according to a report.
According to The Huffington Post, Trump spent $375,000 for rent at Trump Tower. The outlet noted his political committees are not present in the building.
One former aide with direct knowledge of Trump’s spending said, “It’s a huge scam,” adding, “I can’t believe his base lets him get away with it.”
The Huffington Post conducted an analysis of Federal Election Commission filings and found that Trump’s Make America Great Again PAC spent $37,541.67 over the span of ten months in 2021 on rent for office space.
President of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, Noah Bookbinder, told the outlet “There’s no law that says you can’t use this as a scam to enrich yourself. He’s allowed to do this. It’s sleazy, but it’s legal.”
The former president’s business practices have been under investigation by New York Attorney General Letitia James (D).
On Wednesday, a judge ordered Trump and two of his children to give depositions in the civil investigation.
“When they are deposed, the [Trumps] will have the right to refuse to answer any questions that they claim might incriminate them, and that refusal may not be commented on or used against them in a criminal prosecution,” New York Supreme Court Justice Arthur Engoron wrote in his opinion.
James issued a statement following the ruling.
“No one will be permitted to stand in the way of the pursuit of justice, no matter how powerful they are,” James said.
Trump once again suggested James was “doing everything within [her] corrupt discretion to interfere with my business relationships, and with the political process.”