Trump campaign files FEC complaint against Harris over use of Biden’s $91.5 million war chest

The Trump campaign accused Vice President Kamala Harris in a complaint to the Federal Election Commission on Tuesday of committing “the largest campaign finance violation in American history” because of her attempt to use political donations to President Biden.

“Kamala Harris is attempting to steal $91.5 million of Joe Biden’s leftover campaign funds – a brazen money-making scheme that would constitute the largest excessive donation and the largest violation of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 in history,” David Warrington, general counsel for the Trump campaign, wrote in a complaint to the FEC.

The complaint was directed against Harris, Biden, the 81-year-old president’s main campaign committee – which was renamed “Harris for President” on Sunday – and the committee’s treasurer.

She further describes the attempt to reallocate the $91.5 million remaining in Biden’s campaign account to Harris as “fraudulent” and a “mockery of our campaign finance laws.”

Warrington argues that “there is no provision in federal campaign finance law that allows Kamala Harris to take over Joe Biden’s candidacy” and gain “control of his campaign” by simply altering the forms filed with the FEC.

He also claims that Harris, 59, is ineligible to inherit Biden’s war chest because she did not file a declaration of candidacy naming Biden as a presidential candidate as one of her authorized committees.

The complaint describes Harris as a “separate individual candidate competing for the Democratic Party nomination,” arguing that the transfer of funds amounts to a “massively inflated donation from Biden for President” to the Vice President.

“The Commission must immediately find reason to believe that this ongoing violation is taking place and bring it to an end swiftly,” Warrington’s letter concluded.

Charles Lutvak, spokesman for Harris’ campaign, called the complaint “meritless.”

“Team Harris will continue to build on our 250+ coordinated offices and our 1,300+ coordinated staff in swing states – just as we built on the $240 million in cash we had at launch this week by raising $100 million in our first 36 hours and signing up 58,000 volunteers,” Lutvak said in a statement.

“Republicans may be jealous that Democrats are intent on defeating Donald Trump and his MAGA allies, but baseless legal claims – like those they have been making for years to suppress votes and steal elections – will only distract them while we recruit volunteers, talk to voters and win this election,” he added.

A Harris campaign official also claimed that the various Biden fundraising committees have always been authorized committees for both the president and vice president and that they are the same except for the name change.

FEC Chairman Sean Cooksey – an appointee of former President Donald Trump – told NPR on Monday that the “unprecedented” manner in which Biden is handing Harris the key to his campaign coffers could prove “complicated” and draw legal challenges.

“I think it has to go through a process, through the FEC,” Cooksey said. “I expect there will probably be objections at the agency and probably in court.”

However, Cooksey’s predecessor, Democratic FEC Commissioner Dara Lindenbaum, has maintained that Harris is entitled to the campaign funds.

“It is absolutely clear that Vice President Harris can continue to use the campaign committee and its resources,” Lindenbaum told The Hill on Monday.

If Harris ultimately does not receive the Democratic nomination for president or is deemed ineligible, the money could be transferred to the Democratic National Committee or a super PAC affiliated with the final candidate.

An Associated Press poll of delegates conducted Monday found that the vice president currently has the support of enough delegates to secure the nomination.