President-elect Donald Trump accused Democrats of breaking the law based on reports that Vice President Kamala Harris’ 2024 presidential campaign paid for the endorsement of celebrities like singer Beyoncé and media personality Oprah Winfrey.
Newsweek has reached out to Harris’ 2024 campaign and the Democratic National Committee (DNC) via email for comment late Saturday afternoon.
Why It Matters
Celebrity endorsements can boost a political campaign by reaching demographics they might have trouble reaching otherwise. Celebrities and online influencers have a lot of sway in the court of public opinion, which politicians could use to their advantage during an election cycle.
Disclosing any paid-for endorsements can help bring more transparency into the election process, giving fans of celebrities and influencer audiences more insight into why their idols may choose to endorse a candidate.
What To Know
Trump posted on his Truth Social platform Saturday morning, “Are the Democrats allowed to pay $11,000,000, $2,000,000, and $500,000 to get the ENDORSEMENT of Beyoncé, Oprah, and Reverend Al [Sharpton]?”
He added: “I don’t think so! Beyoncé didn’t sing, Oprah didn’t do much of anything (she called it ‘expenses’), and Al is just a third rate Con Man. So what is going on here??? Totally against the law, and I have heard there are many others!!!”
It is not illegal for political campaigns to pay for endorsements. A spokesperson for the Federal Election Commission (FEC) told the fact-checking site Verify that “no provisions in the FEC rules specifically address paid endorsements of federal candidates.”
However, federal candidates are legally obligated to disclose payments made in exchange for endorsements, according to the FEC spokesperson.
President-elect Donald Trump is seen on December 22 in Phoenix. Trump accused Democrats of breaking the law based on reports that Vice President Kamala Harris’ 2024 presidential campaign paid for the endorsement of celebrities like singer Beyoncé and media personality Oprah Winfrey.
Rebecca Noble/Getty Images
What People Are Saying
Winfrey, who appeared at the vice president’s final campaign rally in Philadelphia, has denied claims that she was paid for her endorsement.
“Not true. I was paid nothing, ever,” she told TMZ last month.
Campaigns may pay for expenses related to celebrity events. Winfrey’s production company Harpo Productions was paid by the Harris campaign for production costs for a September livestreaming event with the vice president and Winfrey, a Harpo spokesperson told Variety in November. However, the spokesperson said Winfrey was “at no point during the campaign paid a personal fee, nor did she receive a fee from Harpo.”
Beyoncé, who spoke at one of Harris’ campaign rallies in Houston, was also accused of being paid to endorse Harris, but multiple fact-checking sites debunked the claim.
FactCheck.org said a Harris campaign official told them the claim “is not true.” PolitiFact said that it had found “no evidence” for the claim and that Beyoncé’s publicist told them it was “beyond ridiculous.”
Meanwhile, the Washington Free Beacon reported in November that the Harris campaign donated two payments of $250,000 to Reverend Al Sharpton’s nonprofit National Action Network, weeks before the MSNBC host conducted his interview with the vice president on October 20. Sharpton held rallies for Harris three days after his interview with the vice president aired.
An MSNBC spokesman told the Washington Free Beacon in a subsequent article last month that the network was “unaware” of the contributions.
What Happens Next
It’s unlikely that Trump’s post will have any legal impact on Harris, her 2024 campaign or Democratic Party, but it might further influence the narrative among the president-elect’s base that the Democrats cheat in elections, a claim Trump repeatedly made in the wake of his 2020 election loss to now-President Joe Biden. However, there is no evidence to suggest widespread voter fraud in the 2020 election.
