According to new financial disclosures, the group representing Log Cabin Republicans LGBTQConservative supporters paid Melania Trump about $250,000 to speak at an event in Florida.
Latest Financial Disclosure The Donald Trump campaign’s filings with the Federal Election Commission detail the sources of income for the candidate and his spouse. The documents reveal that the majority of Melania’s income comes from licensing fees and sales of NFTs, but she also earned money from high-profile speaking engagements this year. The Palm Beach chapter of Log Cabin Republicans paid Melania $237,500 for a speaking engagement at an event on April 20 at the Trumps’ Mar-a-Lago resort.
The event drew media attention because Melania Trump has spent even less time this year supporting her husband’s presidential campaign than she has in past election cycles. She did not have a speaking role at this year’s Republican National Convention, which is unusual for the spouse of a presidential candidate. CNN reported that prior to the Log Cabin fundraiser in April, Melania Trump had only made two other appearances at the 2024 presidential campaign: standing by her husband’s side when he announced his candidacy in late 2022, and when two Florida voters cast their ballots in the presidential primary in March of this year.
Of note, Melania Trump hosted another log cabin event at her New York penthouse in July. NewsweekHowever, the latest fundraising report does not list any compensation for the event.
In both cases, the events were advertised as fundraisers for the Log Cabin Republicans, not for Trump’s campaign. When campaign surrogates appear at such fundraisers, they are often accompanied by private fundraisers for the chairs’ respective campaigns. lawyer It is highly unusual to pay a speaking fee at a political fundraising event.
Ahead of the April event, Log Cabin Republicans president Charles Moran told Newsweek that the group expected to raise more than $1 million for the organization, and Log Cabin Republicans later said that a July event at Trump’s penthouse raised $1.4 million, meaning the group made a profit anyway.
Republican LGBTQ rights groups have come under fire for their continued support of President Donald Trump’s presidential campaign, even as he pursues increasingly anti-LGBTQ policies.
lawyer The Log Cabin Republican has been reached for comment.
Source: Advocate.com – www.advocate.com