Donald Trump’s presidential campaign has filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission claiming that the transfer of Joe Biden’s $96 million campaign war chest to Kamala Harris violates the law.
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David Warrington, a lawyer for the Trump campaign, called the move “a brazen money grab that would constitute the single largest excessive contribution and biggest violation in the history of the Federal Election Campaign Act,” according to the complaint, a copy of which was seen by Bloomberg News.
Shortly after Biden dropped out of the race on Sunday and anointed Harris as his preferred successor, she changed the name of his campaign committee to Harris for President and took stewardship of its bank accounts. Her campaign said it’s since raised more than $100 million in additional funds.
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The legal question is a novel one, but many campaign finance experts say the transfer is probably allowed. Steve Roberts, a lawyer who has represented GOP candidates, has said the argument against it was “maybe wishful thinking” by his Republican colleagues.
The Harris campaign said the complaint would have no impact on its fundraising or spending.
“Republicans may be jealous that Democrats are energized to defeat Donald Trump and his MAGA allies, but baseless legal claims—like the ones they’ve made for years to try to suppress votes and steal elections—will only distract them while we sign up volunteers, talk to voters, and win this election,” said Harris campaign spokesman Charles Kretchmer Lutvak.
It’s a novel legal question but campaign finance experts say the $96 million transfer is probably allowed and the argument against it may be “wishful thinking.”