Jonah Patel
The Trump campaign has been criticised for not covering the costs associated with Trump's campaign rallies, with El Paso, Texas, owed $470,417, the largest single invoice. The El Paso City Council has also been criticised for its lack of action on proposed campaign contribution caps, despite activists' optimism that the new council would take substantive action. This has resulted in a disconnect between city staff and council members, hindering progress towards campaign finance reform. While there are rules in place regarding the use of campaign funds, the fate of leftover funds varies depending on the type of committee.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Amount owed by the Trump campaign to El Paso, Texas | $470,417 |
| Amount paid by Beto O'Rourke's campaign for a rally in El Paso | $21,021 |
| Amount owed by the Trump campaign to other cities | At least $841,219 |
| El Paso City Council's stance on campaign contribution caps | Against |
| El Paso City Council's stance on broader political contribution reporting | In favour |
| Rules on the placement of political signs on public property in Texas | Governed by the Texas Ethics Commission, the Texas Department of Transportation, and many municipalities and schools |
| Rules on the use of campaign funds after elections | Cannot be used for personal use, must be used to pay off debts, can be donated to other candidates or charitable organisations, or can be refunded to donors |
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What You'll Learn
Trump's unpaid police bills
President Donald Trump's campaign has been criticised for racking up unpaid bills for police and security at his "Make America Great Again" rallies. According to a report by The Center for Public Integrity, Trump's team owes a total of $1.82 million to 14 local municipalities for public safety-related costs incurred during his MAGA events. This figure has nearly doubled since June 2019, when the debt was estimated to be at least $841,219 owed to 10 city governments.
The largest single invoice, amounting to $470,417, is from El Paso, Texas, where officials have publicly criticised the Trump campaign for not covering costs associated with Trump's campaign rally near the Mexican border on February 11. In contrast, Democratic presidential candidate Beto O'Rourke, who held a smaller campaign rally in El Paso on the same day, paid his $21,021 police bill on time. El Paso Mayor Dee Margo expressed hope that the Trump campaign would pay up, stating, "People that don't pay their bills — that's a character integrity issue."
Trump's campaign has refused to pay the police bills, arguing that they are not legally obligated to do so. However, several election law lawyers have asserted that the campaign is likely violating federal campaign finance laws by not reporting these debts as "disputed debts" in their mandatory campaign finance reports. The cities dispatched police officers to secure Trump's events due to public safety concerns and at the request of the US Secret Service.
While some cities have policies against billing politicians for police costs, others have chosen not to invoice the Trump campaign for the costs incurred. The issue of unpaid police bills is not unique to Trump, as former President Barack Obama also faced similar criticism for unpaid invoices from local municipalities during his 2012 campaign. However, many 2020 Democratic candidates and several Republicans have stated that they always repay local officials, even if it is not legally required.
The refusal to pay these bills stands in contrast to Trump's pledge to "back the blue" and support "law and order." Local governments, especially those facing economic challenges during the coronavirus pandemic, have urged Trump to settle these debts, highlighting the significant fiscal impact on their communities.
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El Paso's push for campaign finance reform
El Paso, Texas, is among several cities awaiting payment from former President Donald Trump's campaign committee for public safety-related costs. The Trump campaign owes El Paso $470,417, the largest single invoice from all the cities, for a rally held near the Mexican border on February 11. The city's mayor, Dee Margo, expressed hope that the campaign would pay up, characterizing non-payment as "a character integrity issue."
In contrast, Democratic presidential candidate Beto O'Rourke paid his $21,021 police bill for a smaller campaign rally in El Paso on the same day. Other Democratic candidates, like Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Sen. Cory Booker, have also paid police bills for their campaign rallies.
The Trump campaign's failure to pay these invoices has led to accusations of violating federal campaign finance laws. Federal election law states that "a political committee shall report a disputed debt… if the creditor has provided something of value to the political committee." However, the Trump campaign has not reported these debts to municipal governments or police departments in its mandatory campaign finance reports.
The issue of campaign finance reform has gained traction in recent years, with organizations like the ACLU and BigMoneyOutVA advocating for changes. They argue that the influence of "big money" in politics has led to a need for a constitutional amendment to regulate election spending and establish public financing as the primary method of funding campaigns. Proposals include updating campaign finance laws to address online political advertising, banning personal use of campaign funds, and capping donations.
While there have been efforts to push for campaign finance reform in states like Virginia, these attempts have faced challenges due to bipartisan resistance, the continual cycle of elections, and lawmakers' lack of incentive. However, supporters of reform believe that comprehensive changes are necessary to address the escalating costs of political campaigns and create a level playing field for all qualified candidates.
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Texas Ethics Commission and campaign signs
The Texas Ethics Commission (TEC) is responsible for promoting public confidence in government. It oversees the filing of campaign finance reports and provides resources for candidates and the public regarding political advertising requirements.
Candidates with current campaign treasurer appointments on file with the TEC must file reports of contributions and expenditures twice a year, in January and July, regardless of whether they accepted any contributions or made any expenditures during the filing period. Additionally, candidates who are opposed in an upcoming election and have not selected modified reporting must file reports by the 30th and 8th day before the election.
The TEC's website provides guidelines for political advertising, including the requirement for a political advertising disclosure statement. This statement must include the words "political advertising" or an abbreviation and the full name of the person or committee who authorized or paid for the advertisement. The disclosure statement must be clearly presented in written or spoken form, depending on the medium of the advertisement.
For campaign signs specifically, the TEC requires a specific notice regarding the placement of signs in relation to highways. The notice, which must be included verbatim on the signs, states: "NOTICE: IT IS A VIOLATION OF STATE LAW (CHAPTERS 392 AND 393, TRANSPORTATION CODE), TO PLACE THIS SIGN IN THE RIGHT-OF-WAY OF A HIGHWAY." This notice can appear on the reverse side of the sign.
While the TEC provides guidelines for the content and placement of campaign signs, it is important to note that the laws under the Commission's jurisdiction do not address the timing and specific locations for placing these signs. For queries regarding the 90-day timeline for placing signs, the Texas Department of Transportation should be contacted.
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Campaign contribution reporting and transparency
Campaign finance reform has been a topic of discussion in El Paso, Texas, with the city council considering proposals to increase transparency and impose caps on political contributions. The El Paso City Council advanced a plan in October 2023 to enhance transparency around political contributions, but they stopped short of implementing a proposed cap on campaign contributions. The council voted to direct city staff to draft an ordinance mandating the disclosure of donors who contributed $500 or more and stood to gain from council decisions. This builds on existing requirements for council members to disclose contributions on city council agendas.
The push for campaign finance reform in El Paso was initiated by Justicia Fronteriza, which put forth a set of proposals that included capping political campaign contributions at $1,000, providing public funding for community candidates, and introducing ranked-choice voting in city elections. Despite gathering approximately 14,000 signatures in support, the city council rejected these proposals in October 2022. Members of Justicia Fronteriza expressed frustration with the lack of engagement from city staff and council members, as well as the refusal of the city attorney to address their memos regarding the legality of their proposals.
The issue of campaign finance transparency gained prominence in El Paso, particularly in relation to the Trump campaign's outstanding debts to the city. The Trump campaign committee has been invoiced for public safety-related costs associated with his political rallies, including a $470,417 bill from El Paso, Texas, for a campaign rally near the Mexican border. The campaign's failure to report these debts to municipal governments or disclose them as "disputed debts" in federal filings has led to accusations of violating federal campaign finance laws.
In Texas, various rules and regulations govern campaign finance and reporting requirements. The Texas Ethics Commission, for instance, mandates that candidates and officeholders with treasurer appointments must file reports of contributions and expenditures twice a year, regardless of whether they accepted any contributions during the filing period. Additionally, the Texas Department of Transportation and many municipalities have rules governing the placement of political signs on public property and right-of-way areas. Candidates are encouraged to be respectful of private property and obtain permission from landowners before erecting any campaign signage.
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Beto O'Rourke's timely police bill payment
Beto O'Rourke, a former Congressman from El Paso, Texas, has been praised for his timely payment of a $21,021 police bill for a campaign rally held in February 2019. This stands in contrast to the Trump campaign, which has accrued at least $841,219 in unpaid public safety-related invoices from cities across the country, including a $470,417 invoice from El Paso.
O'Rourke's willingness to pay his police bill reflects his commitment to fiscal responsibility and his respect for the work of local law enforcement. It also highlights a key difference between the Democratic and Republican campaigns in terms of their financial management and accountability.
O'Rourke has a history of engagement with El Paso civic organizations and nonprofit groups, such as the Rotary Club, United Way, and the Center Against Sexual and Family Violence. He has also been involved with the El Paso Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and the Institute for Policy and Economic Development at UTEP. As a Congressman, he introduced legislation to increase accountability and oversight of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection and worked to establish a new program at the El Paso VA to better meet the needs of veterans.
O'Rourke has also been open about his past mistakes, including a 1998 drunken driving arrest in El Paso, which he has characterized as a "serious mistake" and a "poor judgment" call. Despite these setbacks, he has leveraged his experiences to connect with voters and advocate for issues such as mental health and veterans' affairs.
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Frequently asked questions
The Trump campaign committee owes El Paso, Texas, $470,417 for a campaign rally held near the Mexican border. This is the largest single invoice from at least nine cities that are waiting for Trump to pay public safety-related invoices sent to his presidential campaign committee.
Texas law requires that county officeholders and candidates file documents to comply with campaign and financial disclosure laws. This includes filing a semiannual (January and July) Campaign Finance Report with the Tarrant County Elections Department. The Texas Ethics Commission also has rules and ordinances governing the placement of political signs on public property and public right-of-way.
Campaign funds cannot be kept by politicians for themselves and are not intended for personal use. Any leftover funds after a candidate drops out or after the election must be used to pay off debts. Funds can also be donated to a political committee, refunded to donors, or redirected elsewhere with the donor's permission.
