Vice President Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign reportedly paid more than double the previously reported amount for the Oprah Winfrey town hall event. According to FEC filings, the campaign made two $500,000 payments to Winfrey’s Harpo Productions in October, a month after the town hall and before a rally in Philadelphia with Winfrey. The total cost of the event is estimated to be closer to $2.5 million, with Harris spending $1.5 billion during her 15-week presidential run, at a rate of $100 million per week. Democrat donors have expressed that they continue to receive requests for contributions, with the Democratic Party reportedly being $20 million in debt from the campaign. The campaign also spent nearly $9,000 on ice cream from high-end shops like Sweet Lucy’s Ice Cream and Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams.
Criticism has been levied at Harris’ campaign for spending significant amounts on celebrity appearances and performances, as well as influencer partnerships, in an attempt to boost events. The campaign reportedly spent almost $15,000 on food delivery services like Uber Eats and DoorDash, along with $2.6 million on travel aboard private jets over a two-week period in October. Additionally, $900,000 was spent to reserve ad space on Las Vegas’ Sphere in the final week of the election, despite Harris losing Nevada by three points. Notably, Harris paid Oprah Winfrey $1 million as part of efforts to help her campaign, but Winfrey claimed she was not personally paid anything during the campaign and that the fee received by Harpo Productions was for production costs.
The Chicago Tribune has criticized Harris’ campaign for the massive sums paid to celebrities like Oprah Winfrey, as well as other high-profile figures. The campaign’s spending on extravagant items such as ice cream, food delivery, private jets, and ad space has raised eyebrows among Democrat donors and party officials, especially as the party is facing a significant debt as a result of the failed campaign. The report also highlighted the campaign spending nearly $3 million on travel and ad space alone, suggesting a significant portion of the budget was allocated to these areas rather than more traditional campaign expenses.
Despite the criticism, Harris’ campaign defended the payments to Winfrey and other celebrities as necessary for producing successful campaign events. While Winfrey stated that she was not personally paid for her involvement, a Harpo Productions spokesperson confirmed that the company did receive money from the campaign for production costs. The spokesperson emphasized that Winfrey did not receive a personal fee from either the campaign or Harpo. Ultimately, the campaign’s focus on celebrity appearances, influencer partnerships, and high-end expenses like private jets and exclusive ad spaces reflects a strategy that may have contributed to the significant financial investment during the campaign period.
Overall, Vice President Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign faced scrutiny for its lavish spending on celebrity appearances, high-end items, and extravagant events. The report revealed that the campaign paid significantly more than initially reported for the Oprah Winfrey town hall event, with the total cost estimated to be around $2.5 million. Despite the financial investment in celebrity partnerships and other expensive items, the campaign faced challenges, ultimately resulting in a $20 million debt for the Democratic Party. While Harris defended the payments to Winfrey and other celebrities as necessary for successful campaign events, the significant expenses on items such as ice cream, food delivery, private jets, and ad space raised concerns among donors and party officials.
