Although former President Donald Trump was voted out of office 15 months ago and has been gone from the White House for over a year, he hasn’t lost his fundraising abilities. Trump’s political action committee, Save America, according to Bloomberg News reporter Bill Allison, had “$108 million in the bank” at the end of January. But Allison also reports that in January, Save America “didn’t donate any of it…. to the dozens of candidates he’s backing.”

“Trump has endorsed GOP candidates running this year, focusing on those who support his baseless claims the 2020 presidential election was stolen from him or are challenging Republican incumbents who opposed him,” Allison explains. “He’s championed more than 140 candidates since leaving the White House, about half of whom are running for federal office. He’s championed more than 140 candidates since leaving the White House, about half of whom are running for federal office. He’s also endorsed politicians running for state and local positions as well as Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.”

Since July 2021, Allison notes, Save America has “donated just $350,500 to candidates” — a figure that, Allison adds, is “less than the $838,000 the PAC spent on event staging and related expenses in January.”

“Trump has wide latitude on how he spends the PAC’s money,” Allison observes. “The federal law that bars candidates from spending campaign money on personal expenses doesn’t apply to money raised for a PAC. Trump could use the war chest to hold rallies, purchase air time and fund organizations that promote his agenda. But one thing Trump can’t spend the money on is a 2024 presidential race.”

Allison adds, “If he became a candidate, Save America would be limited to giving his campaign $5000 per election. Unable to use the PAC’s millions to pay its expenses, a new Trump presidential effort would have to start raising money from scratch.”

Reprinted with permission from Alternet