Op-Ed: Trump legal debts, fundraising, and RNC paying fees — Can’t even work in theory

Former US president Donald Trump has been blamed for much of the Republican dysfunction — © AFP/File TIMOTHY A. CLARY

A Navajo teaching says that the Evil One makes you see things that aren’t there. There are problems with that. In the US, seeing money that isn’t there usually isn’t an option. …But it seems that someone sees it anyway whether it exists or not.

The long, murderously verbose, and tedious saga of Trump’s legal financial issues is nothing if not consistent. Numbers are all over the place but what’s getting paid? Not much, it seems. Now, even the 2024 campaign is all about who pays Trump’s outstanding legal debts.  Lara Trump, the RNC’s co-chair, says the RNC will be OK paying those fees. That’s around $500 million plus and rising at the moment.

Interestingly, some spokesperson for Trump denied this within hours before or after the time Lara Trump was making that statement.

…Which is nice, but the RNC doesn’t have that kind of money. In fact, fundraising is falling way short and looking iffy at best. It’s the usual Trump tangle of headlines, prosecutions, and endless legal procedures.

Remember, the campaign hasn’t officially even started yet. We’re also talking about an unspecified amount of money to be paid by the RNC. It could well be a very large amount of money that the RNC simply doesn’t have.

Add to this the fact that some of that money is supposed to go to actually campaigning for the election, and it looks a lot worse. The Manhattan fraud case decision basically scooped up any available cash. Where is this money supposed to come from?

I’m no fan of Trump. Never have been. I have a family full of accountants on one side. You show me a set of random inconsistent numbers with no pedigree like he has over the last decade or so, and I get suspicious from day two, if more likely day one.

His business numbers, particularly his own worth, have changed far too often over the years to be plausible. He now seems to have sabotaged his own campaign by running up huge amounts payable and wants the RNC to pay those debts.

Bear in mind that assets can be taken if these payments are not made. Those would have to be assets like property. The ship is dismantling itself if that happens.

Trump leaves an unmitigated trail of ruin wherever he goes and whatever he does. The sheer number of his stunningly undistinguished ex-business associates might fill stadiums.

Looks like this skill set is fully engaged with the 2024 campaign. The usual pattern is to start with expensive disasters, then really wipe out himself and everyone associated with him in a surprise catastrophe.

Makes you wonder why anyone ever bothered to invent sex, doesn’t it?

Let’s clarify:

Neither the RNC nor the GOP donors or anyone else are under any obligation to pay one cent.

Trump’s financial obligations and court findings are in his name.

Trump cannot compel anyone to pay his debts.

People who are not parties to a court judgment don’t have to pay anyway.

Since everyone in carefree happy-go-lucky America has lots of money to throw around, who’s going to ante up?

One theory, and it’s only a theory, is foreign backers. That may not go down too well with the right-wing nationalists, but they’ve been OK with his Russian dealings, Saudi dealings, etc. for years.

Then there’s the ever-reclusive super-rich. These idiots seem to think of nothing but taxes and their own status, so an anti-tax gargoyle like Trump might look good in the China hutch.

The religious right has a lot of money, too. That’s what happens when you never spend any money on putting your beliefs into practice. They could bail Trump out in return for a few more Supreme Court justices or something.

The thing is – This is all just about getting him out of hock. He’s that far behind the eight ball in February. November is a few more very expensive months ahead. What about the campaign costs?

Everyone talks about “facing facts”. In Trump’s case, the facts are facing him, and they don’t look pleased.

The current Dance of the 91 Diapers has yet to finish. That’s not all that’s happening in Trump’s legal inferno. There have been thousands of lawsuits against him over the decades.  

Consider this:

This is a guy who will be an instant lame duck even if he is elected, and ineligible to hold office again.

Politically, he has no real future. If he’s lucky the circus tent will fall down on top of him and maybe he could claim some insurance.

There’s no possibility of a “president for life” scenario.

It’s to put it mildly unlikely he could run in 2028 even if he or someone else could afford it.

It’s all on him, and the real, unavoidable, physical losses are mounting.

He’s compromised as much by his own actions as anyone else.  

Trump’s past, present, and somewhat nominal future are blurring into one big messy picture.

Whatever history says about Trump will be brief and therefore accurate.

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The opinions expressed in this Op-Ed are those of the author. They do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of the Digital Journal or its members.