Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump’s campaign filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) on Tuesday, arguing that U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris cannot legally take over funds raised by President Joe Biden’s reelection campaign. The complaint comes after Biden, an 81-year-old Democrat, endorsed Harris upon ending his reelection bid on Sunday.
Transition of Campaign Funds Sparks Controversy
Following Biden’s endorsement, Harris swiftly assumed control of Biden’s campaign accounts and secured the Democratic nomination by winning pledges from a majority of delegates for the upcoming party convention. The Biden campaign had approximately $95 million in the bank at the end of June, and the transfer of these funds has become a focal point of Republican efforts to challenge Harris’ bid.
David Warrington, the Trump campaign’s general counsel, described Harris’ actions as a “brazen money grab” in the FEC filing. Warrington labeled the transfer as “the largest campaign finance violation in American history.”
Expert Opinions and Campaign Reactions
Saurav Ghosh, a lawyer at the Campaign Legal Center, a non-partisan watchdog group, stated that Harris’ claim on the funds should be secure since she was already part of the “Biden for President” campaign as the vice-presidential candidate. Election regulators are unlikely to resolve the issue before the November 5 presidential election.
The FEC declined to comment on unresolved enforcement matters.
Harris Campaign Dismisses Complaint
Harris’ campaign reported raising $100 million since Biden stepped down and endorsed her, surpassing Biden’s remaining funds in just a few days. The Harris campaign dismissed the FEC complaint as a baseless legal maneuver by Republicans.
“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 spokesperson Charles Kretchmer Lutvak.