Trump PAC attorneys to go after campaigns using his name in ‘deceiving’ fundraising efforts

Former United States president Donald Trump’s political action group, Save America, has initiated a crackdown on any campaigns that are using Trump’s name in promotions and fundraising efforts without legal authority.

The Washington Post obtained an email sent to a Senate candidate in Arizona. “Your use of President Trump’s name, image, and/or likeness is likely to deceive individuals into believing President Trump supports, endorses, or otherwise promotes your candidacy for U.S. Senate in Arizona — he does not,” attorneys for Save America wrote to Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich. 

Brnovich’s campaign has repeatedly sent emails and other correspondence using Trump’s name to prompt support from voters, but Trump endorsed Brnovich’s opponent, Blake Masters, for the Arizona Senate seat last month. According to the Post, the Brnovich email campaign is partially run by a consulting firm called National Public Affairs, which was founded by close Trump allies Bill Stepien and Justin Clark. 

Some other political campaigns have used tactics such as sending large photos of Trump that appear to come from the former president himself, and others that tout alignment with Trump but only in small print explain any donations will go to a down-ballot campaign.

Trump’s own campaign often sends a dozen or more emails a day to supporters in order to raise funds, but The Washington Post reports Trump has attempted to curtail the amount of emails sent out and to make the messages less “cheesy.” The former president’s requests were rebuffed by staffers who informed him cutting back on such correspondence would cost Save America money.

“It is one of the massive conundrums for the Republican Party today. How do you fundraise without a Trump message?” one Republican consultant told the Post. “The reason people do these things is because they work.”