Since 2017, the RNC spent $3.1 million on private jets, $750,000 in floral arrangements, and over $17 million on donor gifts.
QUICK FACTS:
- The Republican National Committee (RNC) is facing criticism as the organization has been discovered to have spent millions on travel services, entertainment shows, and gifts to donors.
- In 2022 alone, the RNC spent $5,000 on Lululemon clothing, categorizing it as “office expenses.”
- From 2017-2022, Federal Election Commission (FEC) filings suggest the RNC spent nearly $400,000 on the entertainment industry, including a $30,000 private box for a Las Vegas Raiders game, $43,000 on Top Golf locations, and $13,000 for Broadway shows.
- Thirty RNC staffers and their families also went on a retreat to Virginia’s Salamander Resort & Spa, paying $260,000.
- Under Ronna McDaniel’s leadership, the RNC spent $150,000 on “office expenses” such as coffee, cupcakes, candles, and goods from miscellaneous stores such as Pottery Barn, Crate and Barrel, West Elm, and more.
- McDaniel’s RNC also spent $381,000 on furniture.
- In comparison to the Democratic National Committee, which only spent $1.5 million on donor gifts throughout 2021-2022, McDaniel’s RNC leadership has seen expenditures of $17.1 million on donor gifts.
- Due to the promised anonymity when discussing financial matters, RNC members have expressed their annoyance with finding more financial information like this, causing one committee member to say, “We are only provided with top line financial numbers during our meetings, with no specificity, and when I’ve asked the budget chair for more information, he has been unable to provide it.”
- In response to criticism, Ronna McDaniel’s campaign spokesperson Emma Vaughn stated the RNC’s spending “only adds up to 0.8% of the total amount the Chairwoman raised.”
CALLS FOR NEW RNC LEADERSHIP:
- Country singer and RNC donor John Rich claimed the RNC has “taken advantage” of millions of Conservatives, mismanaging “untold troves of cash on extravagant nonsense, and supporting RINO candidates while ignoring America First contenders.”
- Despite several states declaring their desire for a new RNC chair, her opponent, Lee Zeldin of New York, said her re-election is “pre-baked by design.”
- The statement comes as Republicans have underperformed in past election cycles.
BACKGROUND:
- American Faith reported the Republican Party of Arizona passed a resolution calling for McDaniel’s resignation.
- Trump attorney Harmeet Dhillon gained endorsement by Morton Blackwell, founder of the conservative organization, The Leadership Institute, in her campaign to unseat McDaniel as chair.
- MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell also announced in late November that he is running for RNC chair.
