DNC paid Biden’s legal bills during Hur investigation
The Democratic National Committee (DNC) paid for President Biden’s legal fees surrounding the investigation into his handling of classified documents even as his own campaign railed against former President Trump for using campaign donations to pay for similar services.
Axios first reported that Biden used campaign donations for the fees, citing two people familiar with the matter and campaign finance records. It found the DNC paid more than $1.5 million to the president’s personal lawyer, Bob Bauer, and the firm Hemenway & Barnes LLP.
Federal Election Commission records show the first payment to Hemenway & Barnes LLP was $15,000 in January 2023, after the news that classified documents were discovered first broke. The first payment to Bob Bauer PLLC was $150,000 in July of that year.
The Hemenway & Barnes LLP payments increased to $100,000 in July, and the amounts to both parties fluctuated until late February, when the special counsel concluded the investigation.
Bauer, who was part of Biden’s legal team that in February decried special counsel Robert Hur’s report as “inappropriate" for portraying the president as lacking memory of key life events, was also paid by President Obama in 2009. His law firm made nearly $1.5 million from Obama’s presidential campaign, Politico reported at the time.
The Biden campaign has hit Trump for months for trailing the incumbent in fundraising and for using campaign donations to pay for the former president’s mounting legal bills, though Biden’s cost are a fraction of Trump’s.
The DNC, when asked about the payments, argued that the situation can’t be compared to Trump, who has spent roughly $50 million total on legal fees in 2023.
“There is no comparison – the DNC does not spend a single penny of grassroots donors’ money on legal bills, unlike Donald Trump, who actively solicits legal fees from his supporters and has drawn down every bank account he can get his hands on like a personal piggy bank,” DNC spokesperson Alex Floyd said.
Trump in March launched a joint fundraising agreement with the Republican National Committee that will send donations to his campaign and a PAC covering his legal bills before they go toward the party itself.
Trump’s Save America PAC has so far spent millions of dollars paying Trump’s lawyers. The former president faces charges in four separate criminal indictments in addition to a civil business fraud trial and a civil defamation case that had him facing millions of dollars in penalties.
Last month, the Biden campaign tried out the nickname "Broke Don" for Trump to highlight his lagging fundraising numbers.
Biden has poked fun at him over the amount of money Trump owes in penalties stemming from the two New York civil cases, telling donors at fundraisers recently that “a defeated man” came up to him and said, “I’m being crushed by debt."
Taylor Giorno contributed.
Date: | |
Tag: | Joe Biden |
Filter
-
DOJ rebuffs GOP’s second demand for Biden-Hur audio recordings
The Justice Department on Thursday for a second time declined to turn over audio recordings of President Biden’s interview with special counsel Robert Hur, rejecting claims from GOP impeachment investigators that the recordings contain information ...The Hill - Politics - Joe Biden -
Bishop stabbed during Sydney church service backs X's legal case to share video of the attack
A Sydney bishop who was stabbed repeatedly in an alleged extremist attack blamed on a teenager has backed X Corp. owner Elon Musk’s legal bid to overturn an Australian ban on sharing graphic video of the attack on social mediaABC News - World -
Biden should choose legal pathways over new restrictions
The loudest voices in the room are usually not the ones with the best solutions. On immigration policy, those shouting have called for more enforcement measures, even if such policies are ineffective.The Hill - Politics - Joe Biden -
Trump fires back after Biden’s roast during WHCD: ‘Really bad’
Donald Trump fired back at Joe Biden after his speech at the 2024 White House Correspondents’ Dinner, calling it “really bad” adding, “Crooked Joe was an absolute disaster!” NBC’s Gabe Gutierrez reports for TODAY.NBC News - Politics - Donald Trump -
Biden to tout $6 billion deal with semiconductor manufacturer Micron during Syracuse trip
The Biden administration announced Thursday that it reached a preliminary agreement with Idaho-based semiconductor manufacturer Micron, the latest in a series of investments through the bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act. President Biden will ...The Hill - Politics - Joe Biden -
Biden again called on Vladimir Putin to release Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich from a Russian jail during a black-tie gala in Washington.
Biden again called on Vladimir Putin to release Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich from a Russian jail during a black-tie gala in Washington.The Wall Street Journal - World - Russia -
Biden again called on Vladimir Putin to release Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich from a Russian jail during a black-tie gala in Washington.
Biden again called on Vladimir Putin to release Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich from a Russian jail during a black-tie gala in Washington.The Wall Street Journal - World - Russia -
Biden again called on Vladimir Putin to release Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich from a Russian jail during a black-tie gala in Washington.
Biden again called on Vladimir Putin to release Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich from a Russian jail during a black-tie gala in Washington.The Wall Street Journal - World - Russia -
Biden Signed a Bill That Could Ban TikTok. Here’s What Happens Next.
President Biden has signed the bill to force a sale of the video app or ban it. Now the law faces court challenges, a shortage of qualified buyers and Beijing’s hostility.The New York Times - Top stories - Joe Biden -
Biden signs foreign aid bill, clearing the way for new weapons for Ukraine
"It's a good day for America, it's a good day for Europe and it's a good day for world peace," Mr. Biden said in remarks from the White House.CBS News - Politics - Joe Biden
More from The Hill
-
Riot police drag away protesters at University of Texas as Gaza tensions flare
State troopers in riot gear moved on Monday afternoon to clear out students attempting to occupy a quad at the University of Texas at Austin. Dozens of protesters were arrested on site, escalating tensions that began on Wednesday when the ...The Hill - Politics -
Jill Stein accuses police of assaulting her at protest
Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein on Sunday alleged police assaulted her and other demonstrators shortly before being arrested at a pro-Palestinian protest on the campus of Washington University in St. Louis. “Basically, the police ...The Hill - Politics -
US finds Israeli military units violated human rights
Welcome to The Hill's Defense & NatSec newsletter {beacon} Defense &National Security Defense &National Security The Big Story US finds Israeli military units violated human rights The State Department has determined that at least five Israeli ...The Hill - Politics - Israel -
Evening Report — Protests continue to spread on college campuses
A quick recap of the day and what to look forward to tomorrow {beacon} Evening Report © AP Pro-Palestinian protests escalate on college campuses Hundreds of students have been arrested on college campuses across the country as ...The Hill - Politics -
FCC fines wireless carriers
Presented by Microsoft — {beacon} Technology Technology PRESENTED BY The Big Story FCC fines major mobile carriers $200M The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) issued a fine totaling $200 million to the nation’s four largest mobile ...The Hill - Politics