Report: Biden Used Donor Funds to Pay Legal Bills

Image copyright: Anna Moneymaker/Staff/Getty Images News via Getty Images

The Facts

  • According to an Axios report, Federal Election Commission documents show that Pres. Joe Biden has used donor funds to pay legal bills. This comes as Biden has levied criticism at former Pres. Donald Trump for engaging in the same practice.

  • Records indicate that Biden spent $2M in donations to cover his legal fees. Around $1.05M reportedly went to Bob Bauer —Biden's personal lawyer, who oversaw the probe into Biden's handling of classified documents. Lawfirm Hemenway & Barnes reportedly received $905K.


The Spin

Republican narrative

The Democrats' whole campaign against President Trump is constructed around hyperbole and hypocrisy. While condemning Trump for needing to defend himself against Biden's witch hunts, the DNC has repeatedly said that they don't use PAC money for Biden's legal bills. Sadly and unsurprisingly, it turns out that the DNC has spent millions of dollars doing just that.

Democratic narrative

There is no comparison between the two campaigns. The Republican National Committee is now acting as the fundraising arm for Donald Trump's criminal defense. Biden does not use PAC money as essentially his personal checking account like Trump does. Unlike Trump, the DNC does not spend any of its grassroots supporters' money on legal fees. That's a huge difference.

Cynical narrative

Voters of all political persuasions are the losers here. Donor funds funneled through PACs and Super PACs have created an oligarchal, symbiotic relationship between both political parties and wealthy interests. All voters — both Republicans and Democrats — should be deeply concerned that special interest funding is incompatible with American democracy.


Metaculus Prediction


Public figures in this story


Political split

LEFT

RIGHT