Donald Trump's financial disclosure form reveals 6-figure paycheck for Melania to attend campaign event
PALM BEACH, FLORIDA: Melania Trump, who has remained largely absent from the campaign trail this year has received a substantial six-figure payment to attend a political event.
The former first lady received the amount for her rare public appearance at the event, an uncommon move for a presidential candidate’s spouse, reported CNN.
How much was Melania Trump paid to attend the campaign event?
Melania Trump was paid $237,500 for a speaking engagement at an April fundraiser hosted by the conservative LGBTQ organization Log Cabin Republicans, according to Donald Trump's latest financial disclosure form.
While the disclosure form indicated that she was paid by the Log Cabin Republicans for her appearance at the event, the actual source of the payment remains unclear.
Speaking to CNN, Log Cabin Republicans President Charles Moran said that his group did not fund the former first lady’s appearance, leaving a mystery about who ultimately made the payment.
Trump's disclosure form failed to provide further details regarding the origin of the funds.
Melania also attended a second fundraiser for the same organization in July, and reports suggested that a similar payment request was reportedly made to a donor ahead of the political event.
However, it remains unclear if the former first lady received a payment for the second engagement, as the financial disclosure for that period has not yet been released.
Ric Grenell, a former ambassador to Germany and close ally of Donald Trump, made the payment request on Melania’s behalf. He has also assisted her with other business ventures, according to a source.
Ethical concerns over campaign payments
Campaign finance and government ethics experts have raised concerns about the unusual nature of a presidential candidate's spouse receiving such large sums for appearing at political fundraisers.
Virginia Canter, chief ethics counsel at Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics, noted that these payments are highly uncommon and potentially problematic from an ethical standpoint.
"It seems pretty self-serving," said Canter, pointing out that she had not previously encountered such a practice in campaign finance.
She also warned that if the organization did not make the payment, Trump’s financial disclosure form might violate ethics rules.
Emphasizing the need for transparency in identifying the true source of the payment, Canter stated that failing to do so could prevent proper assessment of potential conflicts of interest.
"You could indicate that payment was for a speaking engagement for the Log Cabin Republicans but you also need to report who the source of the payment was," she said.
"Otherwise, you can’t assess for conflicts of interest, and it wouldn’t be in compliance with the rules," Canted added.
