A shake-up is coming to the RNC. Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel is stepping down, with plans being formalized after the South Carolina primary. It is reported that a vote on the proposed change in leadership at the RNC will take place during its next meeting later this spring.
It is unusual for a leadership change to be conducted this early in the presidential election cycle. Trump hasn't secured the primary nomination yet but he has already posted on Truth Social that he wants McDaniel (whom he appointed to the position) to be replaced by Michael Whatley, the North Carolina GOP chairman. He wants Lara Trump, his daughter-in-law, to be RNC Co-Chairman.
Full disclosure, I am not in support of Lara Trump being the RNC Co-Chairman. It's nothing against her, I think she is a good spokeswoman for the Trump family and, in particular, her father-in-law. However, this story is an example of what will likely happen if she is given the job. There will be Trump family conflicts with the Republican Party's governing body.
Lara Trump is an ambitious woman with a passion for politics. Nothing wrong with that. When she confirmed that Donald Trump wanted her to be the RNC Co-Chair, she made mention of the fact that many loyal Trump supporters would want the RNC to pay Trump's legal bills.
Republicans would "absolutely" pay Donald Trump's legal bills, Lara Trump has said.
Asked by a CNN reporter in South Carolina if Republicans would foot the bill for the GOP frontrunner's soaring legal bills, his daughter-in-law said: "Absolutely. That's why you see a GoFundMe get started, that's why people are furious right now when they see the attacks against him they feel it's an attack not just on Donald Trump but on this country."
Reporter: Do you think paying for Trump’s legal bills is something of interest to Republican voters?
— Acyn (@Acyn) February 22, 2024
Lara Trump: Absolutely pic.twitter.com/BmEWJq0Ak9
Lara Trump is focused on raising money if she gets the gig, which is good. The RNC is essentially broke at this point, compared to the DNC. But her opinion that the RNC should pay Trump's legal bills is not a good idea. For now, she's walking back some of her initial enthusiasm and playing coy.
When pressed on whether any of RNC money would go toward covering Trump's legal bills, she remained noncommittal: "I actually don't know where they stand on that."
Asked if she would support the RNC paying Donald Trump's legal bills, Lara Trump said she believes "his legal bills have already been covered at this point" -- citing a GoFundMe page set up by Trump supporters upset about his many court battles.
"They can see just how egregious and outrageous all of this is that he has to deal with," she contended.
Yes, Joe Biden's DOJ is implementing a two-tier system of justice. There is one system for Democrats and Never-Trumpers. There is another for Donald Trump and his supporters. But, the RNC needs to fulfill its mission, which is to govern the party and help win elections up and down the ballot. Republicans need to be able to hold the House, which may be difficult given the razor-thin majority it now enjoys. I fear the GOP will lose the House in November. House Republicans are fractured and that is not a winning hand when election day comes around.
Trump's advisers supported McDaniel's re-election last year. Now, though, the coffers are bare with only $8M in the bank and a debt of $1M. Democrats plan on the presidential election being a $1B race.
The RNC paid some of Trump's legal bills after the 2020 election.
Traditionally, national political parties have at times covered presidents and their advisers' legal fees in matters related to their presidential campaigns. And throughout his presidency, the Republican Party has footed legal bills for Trump, his family members and his political allies, going back to the days of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into the 2016 election, through the impeachment proceedings following the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.
But experts say the GOP's recent payments of Trump's attorney fees after he left the White House, for investigations that are not relevant to the next presidential campaign, is a very unusual move that's indicative of the ongoing influence that the former president has over the party.
Others who may be influential at the RNC are pushing back on the impression that the RNC will pay Trump's legal bills.
Chris LaCivita, who is set to take on RNC operating officer duties, says RNC WON’T use party funds to cover Trump-related legal expenses, per @VaughnHillyard
— Katherine Doyle (@katiadoyl) February 23, 2024
“No,” LaCivita says in South Carolina where Trump is taking the stage. Asked to clarify, he responds: “Fucking no.”
LaCivita is a campaign co-manager for Trump and a longtime Republican strategist. He knows it is a bad idea to go into an RNC shake-up that puts Trump firmly in control of the organization while sending signals the RNC funds will look like a political slush fund for the president.
Trump has other options to meet his legal bills. Let the RNC concentrate on other races besides the presidential election.
Do you know who the current RNC Co-Chair is? I didn't. It's Drew McKissick. Typically, the role is not in the spotlight. Lara Trump would change that. It may not be a bad thing but it would show that Donald Trump will be in control. It looks like Mr. LaCivita may have some battles ahead of him.
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