(DailyChive.com) – Vice President Kamala Harris’ failed presidential campaign has come under fire for its massive spending, including millions on celebrity appearances and events, according to new reports. One major expense involved a town hall event hosted by Oprah Winfrey, which reportedly cost far more than originally thought.
Federal Election Commission (FEC) filings reveal the Harris campaign paid $1 million to Oprah’s Harpo Productions, split into two $500,000 payments made in mid-October. However, additional reporting later indicated that the actual cost was closer to $2.5 million. This comes as part of a campaign that reportedly burned through $1.5 billion in just 15 weeks, or about $100 million per week.
Despite these massive expenses, Harris’ campaign ended in failure. Donors are now complaining about being bombarded with more fundraising requests, while the Democratic Party is left with a reported $20 million debt.
The extravagant spending didn’t stop with celebrity appearances. Reports say the campaign spent almost $9,000 on high-end ice cream from shops like Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams and Sweet Lucy’s. Another $15,000 went to food delivery services like Uber Eats and DoorDash between July and November. And during a two-week stretch in October, the campaign shelled out $2.6 million on private jet travel.
One of the most eye-catching expenses was $900,000 to reserve ad space on Las Vegas’ Sphere during the campaign’s final week. Despite the investment, Harris still lost Nevada by three points.
The heavy focus on celebrities and influencers was supposed to attract attention and boost enthusiasm for Harris’ campaign events. Yet, even with the star power of Oprah Winfrey, it wasn’t enough to turn things around.
Winfrey, who appeared with Harris at several events, has denied personally profiting from the campaign. A spokesperson for Harpo Productions stated that the payments were strictly for production costs and not for Winfrey herself.
Critics, including some Democrats, have questioned whether the campaign’s priorities were misplaced. With such massive spending and little to show for it, the failed run has become a source of embarrassment and frustration for many within the party.
Neither the Harris campaign nor Oprah’s team have offered further comments on the matter.
Copyright 2024, DailyChive.com
