Former DNC official: Celebrities lied about no Harris Campaign payments

• A former DNC official claimed that celebrities like Beyoncé and Cardi B were paid by the Harris campaign for their appearances, despite public denials. The campaign allegedly paid production companies owned by the stars rather than directly to the individuals.
• FEC records show the Harris campaign spent significant amounts on celebrity appearances, including $165,000 to Beyoncé’s company and $2.5 million to Oprah Winfrey’s production firm.
• The Harris campaign denied paying individuals directly.

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A former Democratic National Committee (DNC) official suggested that the Harris campaign and various celebrities may have misrepresented the money spent on high-profile appearances on the campaign trail.

Lindy Li, a former DNC finance committee member and Biden campaign advisor, appeared on The Shawn Ryan Show and said that celebrities, including Beyoncé and Cardi B, who publicly stated they were not paid for their appearances, were compensated by the Harris campaign.

Lindy Li’s remarks on The Shawn Ryan Show

Li revealed that despite Beyoncé’s repeated denials, she was paid tens of thousands of dollars by the Harris campaign for showing up at campaign events, though she declined to perform.

“Beyoncé was paid to show up,” Li said. “Cardi B was paid. Cardi B, who famously said she wasn’t paid, her production company was paid to show up.”

Li also mentioned that other celebrities, such as Katy Perry, Christina Aguilera and Lady Gaga, received compensation for their appearances. The campaign allegedly paid Oprah Winfrey $2 million, according to Li, a significantly larger figure than earlier reports suggested.

Campaign finance laws

Campaign finance laws prohibit paying individuals for a presidential endorsement, but campaigns are permitted to pay for appearances and event production.

All campaign expenditures must be documented and submitted to the Federal Election Commission (FEC).

FEC records show payments to celebrity-owned companies

FEC records confirm that the Harris campaign made payments to several celebrity-owned production companies. Beyoncé’s company, Parkwood Production Media, received $165,000, while Cardi B’s firm, WashPoppin Incorporated, was paid nearly $59,000.

Beyoncé’s mother denied her daughter receiving “a penny” for speaking at a Harris rally, while Cardi B posted on X she didn’t “get paid a dollar” for her appearance.

Additionally, Lady Gaga’s production company was compensated $132,000. Another $95,000 went to Renegade44, a company associated with former President Barack Obama. R&B artist Khalid’s production company received $98,000.

Campaign’s denial of direct payments

The Harris campaign denied paying any individual artists directly.

“We do not pay,” A spokesperson for the campaign, Adrienne Elrod, told Deadline. “We have never paid any artist or performer. We have never paid a fee to that person.”

Oprah’s Harpo Productions confirms payment

The New York Times reported that Harpo Productions, owned by Oprah Winfrey, received $2.5 million from the Harris campaign, a figure higher than the initial $1 million reported. Both Harpo Productions and Winfrey confirmed that Winfrey herself did not receive any personal payments from the campaign.

Harris Campaign’s financial scrutiny

The Harris campaign faced scrutiny regarding its finances, especially after the loss in the 2024 election. In total, the campaign spent over $1.5 billion during a 15-week sprint, with some of that money directed to celebrity production companies.