RNC Member Trying to Stop Party from Paying Trump’s Legal Bills

Not all members of the Republican National Committee are thrilled with the idea of the party paying for Donald Trump‘s legal defense.

Henry Barbour, a RNC member from Mississippi, has sponsored two draft resolutions obtained and first reported by The Dispatch, both of which have only a longshot chance of passing. One resolution would bar the RNC from paying “the legal bills of any of our candidates for any federal or state office.” Another would require the party to “stay neutral throughout the Presidential primary” and would block the RNC from bringing on additional staff from active presidential campaigns until a nominee is decided.

The party has an upcoming meeting, scheduled for March 7-9 in Houston, where members could be vote on the resolutions. Current RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel is expected to resign from her role at the meeting, and it is likely that Trump-backed North Carolina GOP Chairman Michael Whatley, who currently serves as RNC counsel, would take her place as chair. Trump’s daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, is anticipated to become the party’s vice chair. In interviews, Lara Trump has not clearly stated that party funds would not go towards Trump’s legal representation.

If Barbour’s resolutions pass, according to The New York Times, they would not be binding, and even so, Barbour is not optimistic that the party would vote to adopt them. “This is not going to pass, I understand that,” Barbour said in an interview with The Times. “It’s about making a point.”

Barbour would need two cosponsors from 10 different states to back the resolutions by Tuesday in order to move them forward to a full vote by all committee members.

Thus far, Trump has funded the majority of his legal expenditures with donor funds from the Save America political action committee that he controls. But, the paper reported, the group’s funds are quickly dwindling. Save America reported spending more than $47 million on Trump’s legal expenses in 2023.

“The RNC’s job is to win elections. It’s not to pay the legal bills for any leading candidate. He’s got to fight his own legal fight,” Barbour told Reuters.

Not all members of the Republican National Committee are thrilled with the idea of the party paying for Donald Trump‘s legal defense.

Henry Barbour, a RNC member from Mississippi, has sponsored two draft resolutions obtained and first reported by The Dispatch, both of which have only a longshot chance of passing. One resolution would bar the RNC from paying “the legal bills of any of our candidates for any federal or state office.” Another would require the party to “stay neutral throughout the Presidential primary” and would block the RNC from bringing on additional staff from active presidential campaigns until a nominee is decided.

The party has an upcoming meeting, scheduled for March 7-9 in Houston, where members could be vote on the resolutions. Current RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel is expected to resign from her role at the meeting, and it is likely that Trump-backed North Carolina GOP Chairman Michael Whatley, who currently serves as RNC counsel, would take her place as chair. Trump’s daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, is anticipated to become the party’s vice chair. In interviews, Lara Trump has not clearly stated that party funds would not go towards Trump’s legal representation.

If Barbour’s resolutions pass, according to The New York Times, they would not be binding, and even so, Barbour is not optimistic that the party would vote to adopt them. “This is not going to pass, I understand that,” Barbour said in an interview with The Times. “It’s about making a point.”

Barbour would need two cosponsors from 10 different states to back the resolutions by Tuesday in order to move them forward to a full vote by all committee members.

Thus far, Trump has funded the majority of his legal expenditures with donor funds from the Save America political action committee that he controls. But, the paper reported, the group’s funds are quickly dwindling. Save America reported spending more than $47 million on Trump’s legal expenses in 2023.

“The RNC’s job is to win elections. It’s not to pay the legal bills for any leading candidate. He’s got to fight his own legal fight,” Barbour told Reuters.