The Gaetz-MTG Fundraising Tour Is Actually a Cash Fire

[edbermac]

At the height of the controversy surrounding Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) and the revelations that he’s under investigation for sex trafficking, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) bet big on a nationwide joint fundraising tour with her embattled colleague. But new campaign filings show that not only did the gamble not pay off, but that the much-maligned Republicans actually spent four times as much as they raised.
…
Since Gaetz and Greene kicked off their joint fundraising committee with a May 7 event at The Villages in central Florida, their campaigns and joint fundraising committee have posted a combined loss of $342,000. And according to recent filings with the Federal Election Commission, that joint fundraising effort, “Put America First,” reported only $59,345.54 in contributions.

That sort of meager haul would be fine for a dinner or one-time event, but Gaetz and Greene have repeatedly held high-profile events and spent a whopping $287,036.19 to hold them—meaning they’re in the hole by more than $225,000.

Both Gaetz and Greene contributed $150,000 apiece from their own campaigns to the joint fundraising committee. And they’ve raised money almost entirely from small-dollar donors. Only four people gave $500 or more to the shared committee. But their campaign tour of some of the most Trump-friendly areas in the nation has been inordinately expensive.

In fact, the big winner from the Gaetz and Greene barnstorming appears to be Gaetz’s PR firm.

The Logan Circle Group, which the campaign hired in early April, made off with more than a million dollars in the second quarter of 2021. While the majority of that money came from Gaetz—$825,000 over the course of one month—the firm nudged past the million-dollar mark with the $250,000 it received from Put America First. Those payments, nearly 90 percent of the committee’s total budget, were for “event production and management,” according to FEC filings.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/the-matt-gaetz-marjorie-taylor-greene-fundraising-tour-is-actually-a-cash-fire?ref=home

[Tadpole Raisin]

1. Odd how certain things make me happy

Thank you for this news!! Expect these 2 to become more strident in their protestations until something clicks in their tiny dinosaur brains.

[ProfessorGAC]

3. "Until Something Clicks..."

I think you'll be waiting for quite some time!
And, welcome to DU.

[Tadpole Raisin]

6. LOL!

Extinction perhaps?

and thank you ProfessorGAC. I enjoy your posts!

[SheltieLover]

12. Schadenfreude is so sweet.

Pls don't hold your breath for that click.

[Wounded Bear]

2. Turd polishing is expensive...

[lagomorph777]

28. I usually refer to The Former Guy simply as "Turd."

Your post gave me a little vomit in my throat.

[NurseJackie]

4. I guess in their own way, they are contributing to the local economy...

... so I guess that's something. But the fact that they're actually losing money is hysterical.

[underpants]

5. $$$$ hilarious

[Maeve]

7. If they are paying the bills for the venues, that's at least something

More than the Merde-a-Lardo guy ever did.....

[Crowman2009]

8. I wonder how much of that cash went up Matty's nose?

[keithbvadu2]

17. Or Venmo for his 'minor' purchases.

Or Venmo for his 'minor' purchases.

[lonely bird]

19. Ouch!

Now, that was funny! And at the same time reinforces how disgusting Gaetz is.

[infullview]

9. There has to more to this. It must be a grift somehow

Where Matty gets money from the PR firm deposited in some secret Cayman Island account.

[ECL213]

11. I was going to post the same thing...

I don't believe for a second that the money they are "bleeding" is actually being lost. They both know this money train is going to end with the next election, if not before (Gaetz...orange jammies). That money is going into their pockets somehow.

[paleotn]

15. 250K less expenses. The kicker is, how much did the PR firm spend on the shindigs.

Unless they spent all the $250K or more, Gaetz comes out a bit less screwed than Green. She might as well tossed $150K minus half the $59K take down the toilet. That is if they're filing are factual. I wouldn't put it past either of them to hide the actual financial info.

[IrishAfricanAmerican]

22. 👆🏽👆🏽👆🏽 THIS!

[Escurumbele]

10. It is still amazing that anyone would give these two people even a cent

Like those who donate to donny, how stupid are these people? Can't they see that donny has made the scam of asking for money his source of income? That is the only money he seems to get nowadays, from stupid people.

Like one of the guests of Ali said last night, trump has become "The Beggar-In-Chief".

[marble falls]

13. "Ya gotta unnerstand, we'll make it all back in volume and good will, ya gotta lookit the big ...

... picher, dad's got some swampland fer sale, innerested?"

Moving money around Gaetz's different companies and campaign funds sounds like a good investigation starting point.

[paleotn]

14. Gaetz probably came out a little less screwed than Green....

depending on how much profit Gaetz's PR firm got out of the $250K billed. At least he recouped that + half of the paltry $59K take. Both seem to be out tons of cash, but Green is most definitely out the full $150K she "invested" less half the $59K take. Hey! Not all grifts pay off. That's just part of the game I guess.

[niyad]

16. What a delightful way to start my day. Thank you.

[tanyev]

18. Oh dear. Corey Lewandowski has something to say about that.

[keithbvadu2]

20. Maybe they actually made tons of money but Ivanka and the boys are handling the money.

Maybe they actually made tons of money but Ivanka and the boys are handling the money.

[3Hotdogs]

21. AWWWWWs.

That is a shame. After all the work they are putting into this and this is the tanks they get?

[lark]

23. Repugs ripping off other repugs for fun and profit makes me smile.

These goons so deserve each other.

[Tiger8]

24. Who are the morons who donated $59k?

It boggles my mind to think people exist who would give money to those two grifters.

[Evolve Dammit]

25. "I love the un-educated." Orange Julius. Grifters rely on the easily duped. Amazingly easy. nt

[MrModerate]

26. Does anyone think that Trump is the *only* grifter in the Republican Party? n/t

[lagomorph777]

27. Perjury Traitor Gangreene and Pedophile Gaetz.

Why, they are the very embodiment of Reptilian values! I am shocked that Reptilians aren't lined up for blocks to buy tickets!

[Hugin]

29. Personally, I think an expensive dumpster fire would be a better description.

What do I know?

[IronLionZion]

30. It could be money laundering

or some way to get money to pay their legal fees or funnel it to personal accounts.

[Blue Owl]

31. Good.

Those two can crash and burn for all I care...

[love_katz]

32. Kick!

[Nexus2]

33. Couldn't have happened to a nicer pair. [nt]

[Judi Lynn]

34. Two younger Republican icons. So distinguished.

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