Oprah Town Hall Cost Harris Campaign More Than Initially Disclosed: Report
A recent report has unveiled that Vice President Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign spent significantly more than initially reported on the Oprah Winfrey town hall event.
Cost Breakdown and Campaign Spending
Federal Election Commission (FEC) filings, first reported by the Washington Examiner, indicate the Harris campaign made two payments of $500,000 each to Harpo Productions on October 15. However, sources told The New York Times that the actual cost of the event was closer to $2.5 million.
The campaign, which lasted 15 weeks, reportedly spent $1.5 billion, amounting to approximately $100 million per week. This extravagant spending has left the Democratic Party $20 million in debt, with donors still being inundated with fundraising requests.
Notable Campaign Expenses
- Private Jets: $2.6 million spent on private jet travel over two weeks in October.
- Celebrity Partnerships: Substantial funds were allocated for celebrity appearances, influencer collaborations, and performances to bolster campaign events.
- Ad Space: $900,000 was spent on reserving ad space at Las Vegas’ Sphere during the campaign’s final week, despite Harris losing Nevada by three points.
- Luxury Food and Delivery Services: Nearly $9,000 was spent on high-end ice cream from brands like Sweet Lucy’s Ice Cream and Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams. Additionally, almost $15,000 went toward delivery services like Uber Eats and DoorDash.
Oprah Winfrey’s Role and Payment Clarifications
Despite rumors, Oprah Winfrey denied receiving personal payment for her involvement. A spokesperson from Harpo Productions clarified that the funds received were for production costs and not a personal fee to Winfrey.
Winfrey told TMZ, “I was paid nothing.” Harpo Productions reinforced this by stating that Oprah did not profit from the campaign’s payment to the production company.
Criticism and Public Reaction
The extravagant spending, especially payments to high-profile individuals like Oprah, has drawn criticism. Publications like the Chicago Tribune questioned the campaign’s financial decisions, suggesting mismanagement of donor funds.
Additionally, some influencers featured in campaign events voiced dissatisfaction, with a TikTok creator publicly criticizing both Winfrey and Harris.
Campaign Fallout
The Harris campaign’s substantial expenditure and disappointing election results have sparked debate about campaign strategies and donor accountability. Fox News Digital reached out to the Harris campaign for comments but has yet to receive a response.
This incident highlights broader concerns about political campaign spending and the ethics of leveraging celebrity power in high-stakes elections.
