Investigation finds cities left with big costs once Trump rallies leave town

Oct 2

Craig Nigrelli Reporter

By Craig Nigrelli (Reporter), Brock Koller (Senior Producer), Kaleb Gillespie (Editor)

As the presidential election nears, former President Donald Trump is blitzing the swing states and holding his signature rallies. However, an investigation by Newsweek found that once those rallies are over and Trump leaves town, there are unpaid bills left behind.

During the weekend of Sept. 28, Trump was in Erie, Pennsylvania, where the mayor’s office is on-record claiming the Trump presidential campaign has unpaid debt that amounts to tens of thousands of dollars from two previous campaign visits.

A spokesman for the mayor’s office said those visits took place in 2018 and 2023, and the city spent $40,330 on public safety costs that have not been settled.

Download the SAN app today to stay up-to-date with Unbiased. Straight Facts™.

Point phone camera here

The Newsweek investigation went as far back as 2016 and found that El Paso, Texas; Spokane, Washington; Mesa, Arizona; and Green Bay, Wisconsin, are also seeking money from the Trump campaign. The report indicates the total tab is for more than $700,000.

The Trump campaign referred Newsweek’s questions to the Secret Service.

“State and local law enforcement play a crucial role in our ability to effectively safeguard the former President and other Secret Service protectees,” a spokesman for the Secret Service said. “Currently the U.S. Secret Service lacks a mechanism to reimburse state and local governments for their support during protective events.”

The spokesman also said the agency has made Congress aware of this need.

As for the recent rally in Erie, Pennsylvania, city leaders say they will be seeking payment from the Trump campaign for that visit as well.

Tags: 2024 Elections, Donald Trump, Pennsylvania

WITH LESS THAN FIVE WEEKS UNTIL ELECTION DAY, DONALD TRUMP IS BLITZING THE SWING STATES AND HOLDING HIS SIGNATURE RALLIES. BUT AN INVESTIGATION BY NEWSWEEK FOUND, ONCE THOSE RALLIES ARE OVER AND TRUMP LEAVES TOWN, THERE ARE BIG UNPAID BILLS, LEFT BEHIND.

LAST WEEKEND, TRUMP WAS IN ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA WHERE THE MAYOR’S OFFICE IS ON RECORD AS CLAIMING THE TRUMP PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN HAS AN UNPAID DEBT THAT AMOUNTS TO TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS, FOR TWO PREVIOUS CAMPAIGN VISITS.

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE MAYOR’S OFFICE IS QUOTED AS SAYING “THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN STILL OWES THE CITY OF ERIE A TOTAL OF $40,330 FOR PUBLIC SAFETY COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH CAMPAIGN VISITS IN 2018 AND 2023. THESE COSTS WERE FOR POLICE, FIRE AND PUBLIC WORKS PERSONNEL OVERTIME.”

THE NEWSWEEK INVESTIGATION WENT AS FAR BACK AS 2016 AND FOUND THAT EL PASO, TEXAS, SPOKANE, WASHINGTON, MESA, ARIZONA AND GREEN BAY WISCONSIN, ARE ALSO SEEKING MONEY FROM THE CAMPAIGN TO THE TUNE OF $700,000.

MEANTIME, A 2019 REPORT FROM THE CENTER FOR PUBLIC INTEGRITY FOUND TEN CITIES, OVERALL, ARE SEEKING A TOTAL OF $819,219 FOR PAYMENTS RELATED TO TRUMP RALLIES.

A TRUMP CAMPAIGN OFFICIAL REFERRED NEWSWEEK QUESTIONS TO THE SECRET SERVICE. A SPOKESMAN FOR THE SECRET SERVICE IS QUOTED AS SAYING “ STATE AND LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT PLAY A CRUCIAL ROLE IN OUR ABILITY TO EFFECTIVELY SAFEGUARD THE FORMER PRESIDENT AND OTHER SECRET SERVICE PROTECTEES. CURRENTLY THE U-S SECRET SERVICE LACKS A MECHANISM TO REIMBURSE STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS FOR THEIR SUPPORT DURING PROTECTIVE EVENTS. In recent discussions with Congressional leaders, we’ve identified this as a critical need, given the essential role our police and public safety partners play. ”

AS FOR THE EVENT LAST SUNDAY ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA’S DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS TOLD NEWSWEEK – THE CITY IS IN THE PROCESS OF CREATING AN INVOICE FOR THE MOST RECENT RALLY BUT THE TOTAL, IS NOT YET AVAILABLE.

THE MAYOR’S OFFICE SAYS IT WILL BE SEEKING PAYMENT FROM THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN. FOR MORE UNBIASED UPDATES, DOWNLOAD THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS APP