Lawmakers from both parties are calling for investigations into a .2 million advertising campaign that promoted President Donald Trump’s re-election campaign using taxpayer funds from the Republican National Committee’s headquarters in Washington, D.C.
The advertisements, which featured slogans like “Make America Great Again” and images of Trump’s rallies, appeared in local news broadcasts and billboards throughout swing states leading up to the 2016 election. The RNC has acknowledged the ads ran but contends they were voter education materials, not direct campaign promotion.
Rep. Sarah Martinez (D-CA) introduced the “Taxpayer Accountability Act” last week, which would require federal funds to be kept separate from candidate promotional materials and mandate disclosure of any political content funded by taxpayer money. The bill currently sits in the House Administration Committee.
Historical precedent exists: similar investigations in 2008 found that certain “47%” ads ran with campaign committee funds mixed with party infrastructure. The Treasury Department’s Inspector General has indicated it will review both agencies’ oversight processes.
Image: United States Capitol dome, Washington D.C., Wikimedia Commons
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