Trump Tells Supporters ‘No More Money For RINOS’ As He Battles GOP Over Fundraising Using His Name, Likeness
President Donald Trump is moving to stop funds from going to Republican candidates who were critical of him — but continue to benefit from fundraising activities using his name and likeness.
The lawyers of the former president issued a “cease-and-desist” letter to three of the largest Republican fundraising groups last Friday, telling them to halt using Trump’s name in fundraising activities.
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Former President Trump was reportedly upset that his name is repeatedly being referenced in emails seeking election-related donations especially by those groups that had helped the GOP lawmakers who voted to impeach him.
Trump’s lawyers demanded action from the Republican National Committee (RNC), the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) and the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) — making them unable to use the former president in their fundraising pitches and merchandise sales.
The cease-and-desist letter from Trump's lawyers was sent to the RNC and other GOP campaign committees on March 5 asking them to stop using his name and likeness in their fundraising materials. https://t.co/b27RUIzQjh
— KGUN 9 On Your Side (@kgun9) March 9, 2021
RNC says it will continue using Trump in fundraising
While the NRCC and the NRSC are yet to issue their comment, the RNC, through its Chief Counsel J. Justin Riemer responded on Monday saying it will not stop using the name and likeness of the former president in its fundraising appeals saying it shares the same goal with Trump of election like Trump, the goal is to elect GOP lawmakers.
“Like President Trump, the NRC remains focused on electing Republican candidates and advancing conservative policies,” the RNC, led by chair Ronna McDaniel wrote.
“The RNC, of course, has every right to refer to public figures as it engages in core, First Amendment political speech, and it will continue to do so in pursuit of these common goals,” it added.
Hours later, however, reports noted that the former president Trump sent an email to his supporters urging them to ensure that their donations go to political action committees (PACs) directly tied to him instead of those that continue to support GOP members who were critical of him.
“No more money for RINOS. They do nothing but hurt the Republican Party and our great voting base — they will never lead us to Greatness,” Trump said, telling his supporters to course their donations through his “Save America PAC” instead, which he will use to help handpicked Republican candidates in the 2022 congressional elections.
Trump uses the acronym RINO to refer to “Republicans in name only.”
“We will bring it all back stronger than ever before.”
Trump puts spotlight on Save America PAC
The former Republican president already earlier admonished his supporters to skip giving donations to traditional GOP groups that continue to support lawmakers who were against him.
“Get rid of them all,” Trump said in his speech. “The RINOs that we are surrounded with will destroy the Republican Party and the American worker,” Trump said at the time.
“There’s only one way to contribute to our efforts to elect America First Republican conservatives and in turn to Make America Great Again, and that’s through Save America PAC,” Trump said in his recent speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC).
In his speech, the former president also singled out GOP Senators Mitt Romney (Utah) and Pat Toomey (Pennsylvania) and House lawmakers Liz Cheney (Wyoming) and Adam Kinzinger (Illinois), hinting that he would back candidates who opposed them in Republican primaries.
The former president has been engaged in a war of words with establishment Republicans — feeling betrayed after these GOP lawmakers sided with Democrats in voting to impeach him.
Trump’s attacks on the groups, however, are expected to not get a public rebuke with the former president maintaining his strong base within the Republican Party.
Trump commits to help retake House and Senate
“The RNC is grateful for the past and continued support President Trump has given to the committee and it looks forward to working with him to elect Republicans across the country,” the RNC’s response said.
Nonetheless, Trump has committed to helping Republicans retake control of the House and the Senate in the congressional elections next year — which will be the first referendum on the leadership of Democratic President Joe Biden.
Trump spokesman Jason Miller said over the weekend that the former President Trump is considering forming a super PAC, allowing it to raise unlimited funds from any sources. The PAC, reports said “could be a brand new entity” for the Republican Party imbibing Trump’s “America First” policy pitch.
On Saturday, the former president also filed with the Federal Election Commission, converting both his presidential campaign committee, Donald J. Trump for President, and his leadership PAC, Save America, into two separate PACs — that will be able to support candidates running for office. President Trump’’ campaign committee will become the “Make America Great Again PAC or MAGA PAC, according to reports.
