Read on Twitter
I love the 20th of the month! Trump FEC filing time. Let's dig in.
This is a snapshot as of 10/1 -- in two days, the "pre general" filing is due, covering October 1-15th, so we'll have an even better idea of how things stand for the Death Star's faltering finances.
1/ https://twitter.com/ShaneGoldmacher/status/1318694078914170881
This is a snapshot as of 10/1 -- in two days, the "pre general" filing is due, covering October 1-15th, so we'll have an even better idea of how things stand for the Death Star's faltering finances.
1/ https://twitter.com/ShaneGoldmacher/status/1318694078914170881
ok took awhile to get going on this -- FEC website is slow
starting off with spending **$37,500** to simply rent a hangar at the Traverse City airport for a Mike Pence rally.
I'm no "art of the deal" expert but I doubt this FBO had a lot of other people beating down their door
starting off with spending **$37,500** to simply rent a hangar at the Traverse City airport for a Mike Pence rally.
I'm no "art of the deal" expert but I doubt this FBO had a lot of other people beating down their door
remember the opera tenor that sang after Trump's *million dollar fireworks show* at the White House?
his name's Christopher Macchio and that singing cost a cool $22,500:
his name's Christopher Macchio and that singing cost a cool $22,500:
okay here's one I can get on board with -- dropping $645 at a Chipotle in California
I honestly don't understand how a campaign that has USSS protection + stiffs local municipalities out of bills for local law enforcement STILL spends $200k in a month on "security services"
for what it's worth, this company's crop of employees looks like it's one step removed from a plot to kidnap a governor in a PT Cruiser. https://www.coloradosecurityagency.com/our-team/
Most folks on the Trump payroll rank and file make around $5-6k a month, a totally normal annualized salary.
This @SteveCortes fellow -- the self styled "voice of the deplorables" -- is draining $240k/year from the campaign, however.
This @SteveCortes fellow -- the self styled "voice of the deplorables" -- is draining $240k/year from the campaign, however.
For example, Steve's daughter Kingsley is right next to him on the payroll, at $5k/month.
~$159k in what appears to be Air Force One / Two reimbursements. Considering that Trump and Pence traveled pretty heavily in September, this number seems extraordinarily low (there may be more somewhere else, but who knows with these guys)
The Trump Campaign's "Director of Operations" makes $240,000 a year. That's bonkers.
someone *paid* the $3 to read some @freep article--then *promptly* reimbursed it.
the party of fiscal responsibility, natch.
the party of fiscal responsibility, natch.
I deeply appreciate the commitment that is a $2300 Domino's order. That's 383 medium pizzas if you do the $5.99 mix and match deal that's always in the app (a...friend...told me about this)
Also that address is the Domino's world HQ in Ann Arbor. Check out the sidewalk!
Also that address is the Domino's world HQ in Ann Arbor. Check out the sidewalk!
bus tours aren't cheap - and I think the DJT operation has a couple of buses out there on the road, but this is $65,000 in just one month at one company for bus rentals.
see here's another bus company for $51k.
they'd have been better off buying two busses the day after inauguration (say...$125k each) and driving them off a cliff when they lose than spending a million bucks a year on renting them
they'd have been better off buying two busses the day after inauguration (say...$125k each) and driving them off a cliff when they lose than spending a million bucks a year on renting them
OH COME ON. How many g-d buses do these guys have?
here's another $91,000 to a bus rental company in Nashville.
NOT A SOUL IS TOURING RIGHT NOW. THESE BUSES ARE SITTING IDLE! FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, NEGOTIATE A LITTLE, GUYS.
here's another $91,000 to a bus rental company in Nashville.
NOT A SOUL IS TOURING RIGHT NOW. THESE BUSES ARE SITTING IDLE! FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, NEGOTIATE A LITTLE, GUYS.
wanna know what a small/medium Trump rally costs for just the A/V?
~$200k or so
High Output is a vendor based in Boston and does a lot of NH work so this is probably Trump's rally in Londonderry on 8/28.
Not even getting much for all that $$$ if you look at the photos.
~$200k or so
High Output is a vendor based in Boston and does a lot of NH work so this is probably Trump's rally in Londonderry on 8/28.
Not even getting much for all that $$$ if you look at the photos.
so this combined $923,000 is interesting. Some of it is coded as travel so it's probably private jet flights for Kim Guilfoyle/Eric/Lara/Ivanka/Don Jr.
But the ones that are event rentals -- my guess is that they are routing the hangar rentals for these airport events thru here
But the ones that are event rentals -- my guess is that they are routing the hangar rentals for these airport events thru here
lol they're paying @mercedesschlapp $38k/month. Or at least, this month. Amazing. How do these people sleep at night?
(on a mattress stuffed full of f-in money, that's how)
(on a mattress stuffed full of f-in money, that's how)
and $22.5k to Matt Scully, a big GWB speechwriter -- this is the guy who wrote the first draft of Melania's convention address in 2016, before she copy and pasted Michelle's speech over it.
it's not clear how @BillStepien is getting paid (likely through his own LLC or through their "American Made" media buying LLC that obscures all the grift in general) -- but damned if he's not going to file for his $300 in travel reimbursements
This "Wellness Coaches" firm are the folks doing the temperature checks at the door of the rallies
And for $391k -- it has to involve at least some testing, too.
But my goodness that's a lot of scratch.
And for $391k -- it has to involve at least some testing, too.
But my goodness that's a lot of scratch.
and rounding out the DJT For President is.....
ONE HUNDRED GRAND MORE FOR BUSES
(although I think these are for covid-spreading shuttles for their airport rallies rather than wrapped campaign buses -- but if they didn't do stupid rallies w/o parking they wouldn't need this!)
ONE HUNDRED GRAND MORE FOR BUSES
(although I think these are for covid-spreading shuttles for their airport rallies rather than wrapped campaign buses -- but if they didn't do stupid rallies w/o parking they wouldn't need this!)
alright, let's start in on the RNC's disbursements for September. Starting off with SIX HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS to the "Colorado Security" firm that the DJT for President committee already spent 200k to!
Continuing on with the RNC: $12k for a month spent to "Short Term Copier Rental," guys, it may be time to look into LONG TERM COPIER RENTAL
Or you know, just buy the damn copier.
Or you know, just buy the damn copier.
a cool $2.2 million to Harbinger - after a ton to them in the last month too. This has gotta be all RNC convention related stuff. Not cheap.
haha I hope this is still fireworks related. $1.01 million and counting!
okay - switching over to the "Trump - Make America Great Again Committee" - which is their low-dollar /grassroots fundraising vehicle.
This is where the real graft happens. Turbocharged. On Steroids.
Here's a little summary of what's going on here: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-10-20/trump-fundraisers-spun-wheels-spending-77-cents-to-bring-in-1
This is where the real graft happens. Turbocharged. On Steroids.
Here's a little summary of what's going on here: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-10-20/trump-fundraisers-spun-wheels-spending-77-cents-to-bring-in-1
for every DOLLAR the T-MAGA committee was spending in July/August/September, they were able to generate just 23 cents to send over to the DJT for President main committee.
So in September they sent over only $9.1m, down from $20m sent to DJT/RNC in August and **$36m** in July
So in September they sent over only $9.1m, down from $20m sent to DJT/RNC in August and **$36m** in July
why is this happening? Probably because the President is awful. Coronavirus. Donor fatigue. A crowded political media buying space...
AND ALSO BECAUSE OF INCREDIBLE GRAFT WITHIN THIS COMMITTEE.
Check this out:
AND ALSO BECAUSE OF INCREDIBLE GRAFT WITHIN THIS COMMITTEE.
Check this out:
$112,000,000 (that Bloomberg article added it up, I didn't) went to this one giant LLC "American Made Media Consulting" that is a giant black hole - the DJT side uses it for all their media buying too.
I am sure they are buying a lot of media - and I'm sure a lot is pocketed.
I am sure they are buying a lot of media - and I'm sure a lot is pocketed.
this company CMDI ( http://www.cmdi.com ) is a political customer relationship management platform. And they somehow managed to bill $1.1 million bucks -- $10,000+ a day across the quarter. I don't think they do any processing of donations so this isn't credit card fees. Crazy.
awwwwwwkwarddddddddddd
here's roughly $3 million bucks to Red Curve ( http://www.redcurve.com ) -- again, this company does not appear to be processing credit card contributions (although they do offer a service where they process little old ladies checks they mail in, though)
THREE MILLION!
THREE MILLION!
Here's where the bulk of card processing is happening - not these other companies. It's $11.2 million to WinRed, the "new" Republican version of ActBlue.
But even if EVERY dollar raised this quarter ($235,739,755) went through WinRed, that's still 4.7% taken off the top by them
But even if EVERY dollar raised this quarter ($235,739,755) went through WinRed, that's still 4.7% taken off the top by them
How much is "normal" for credit card processing?
This same committee also uses Stripe, which isn't a political company at all -- to the tune of $450,000 in fees. Here's Stripe's cost -- 2.9% and 30c/charge.
So if you buy a MAGA hat for $30 Stripe keeps $1.17
This same committee also uses Stripe, which isn't a political company at all -- to the tune of $450,000 in fees. Here's Stripe's cost -- 2.9% and 30c/charge.
So if you buy a MAGA hat for $30 Stripe keeps $1.17
WinRed's cost per charge is also 30 cents -- but they're taking a full percentage point more vs what Stripe charges.
(this would probably be a good time to point out that WinRed is for profit, ActBlue isn't)
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/13/us/elections/winred-a-fast-growing-republican-fund-raising-site-passes-the-1-billion-mark.html
(this would probably be a good time to point out that WinRed is for profit, ActBlue isn't)
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/13/us/elections/winred-a-fast-growing-republican-fund-raising-site-passes-the-1-billion-mark.html
1%, no big deal, right?
well it is probably about a million dollar difference if WinRed cut T-MAGA a deal, since they're obviously their biggest client.
But it's pretty obvious they didn't - with the total cost of their cut coming out to around ~5%.
well it is probably about a million dollar difference if WinRed cut T-MAGA a deal, since they're obviously their biggest client.
But it's pretty obvious they didn't - with the total cost of their cut coming out to around ~5%.
and honestly, credit card fees are supposed to cover fraud, chargebacks, returns, stuff like that -- the % of political donations that end up with those issues is infinitesimal vs regular commerce.
so a huge chunk of WinRed's $11m is just going into people's pockets.
so a huge chunk of WinRed's $11m is just going into people's pockets.
& wrapping things up on the small dollar arm -- the stupid red hats are BIG BUSINESS. There's two suppliers, Ace Specialties ($7.7m!) in my home state of Louisiana and Cali-Fame ($2.9m!) in Carson, CA (who has had some issues with telling the truth about the hats being USA-made)
Assuming this combined $11m is the production cost (say..VERY generously $8/each), that means the committee netted like $30-35m off the hats alone in one quarter, as they sell them for $30 and the shipping on top of that.
or to put it another way, if you realize that a ton of the $$$ coming in is MAGA people organically seeking official hats (it's...obviously...the top search term for "trump hat") it makes their other fundraising numbers look even worse since this money is thrown on top
okay - the last of the four Trump + RNC committees is "Trump Victory" their high-dollar fundraising vehicle.
And it starts off with what appears to be $350k of AF1/AF2 reimbursements -- so even with the amount in the tweet about 30 up in this thread, that STILL feels low
And it starts off with what appears to be $350k of AF1/AF2 reimbursements -- so even with the amount in the tweet about 30 up in this thread, that STILL feels low
