As GOP nominee Donald Trump faces four indictments and 88 felony counts, the former president hasn't had much time to spend on his campaign — especially with the start of his first criminal trial last week.
The MAGA hopeful has trailed behind President Joe Biden in campaign fundraising since early last month, and has yet to catch up — as he continues to swim in millions of dollars in legal fees.
A Saturday, April 20 CNN report notes that Trump's "Save America" super political action committee (PAC) "spent nearly $3.7 million on legal-related expenses in March – nearly $3 out of every $4 it collected, according to a filing Saturday night with the Federal Election Commission," in order to cover ex-president's legal expenses.
READ MORE: 'Huge loophole': Trump-appointed FEC officials make it easier for RNC to pay his legal fees
Additionally, the news outlet reports:
Save America has relied on tens of millions of dollars it has clawed back from a Trump super PAC, MAGA Inc., to help keep it afloat. The new filings show the super PAC sent another $5 million back to Save America in March – bringing its total refunds to $57.25 million.
But this source of money will soon run dry. The leadership PAC had donated a total of $60 million to MAGA Inc., and cannot seek more than that in refunds.
The Republican National Committee, which is now co-led by the former president's daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, is also expected to relieve some of the GOP nominee's legal woes.
The Daily Beast also reported Saturday that three FEC members appointed during Trump's administration have passed a rule that allows the committee to pay his legal bills.
Daily Beast reporters Roger Sollenberger and Mini Racker noted that "the rule allows for the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) — the GOP's campaign arm for U.S. Senate races — to divert funds from its legal/recount account toward any overt campaign ad buy, provided that money raised from those ads eventually went back into the legal account."
READ MORE: Trump is 'generating personal revenue off running for office' and raising 'ethical concerns'
CNN also reports:
The money Save America spent just on legal expenses last month rivals the $3.7 million Trump’s campaign committee spent altogether in March as he pursues a third bid for the White House. That marked a significantly slower pace of campaign spending for the former president.
By contrast, Biden’s campaign – flush with money – reported more than $29 million in expenditures last month. It plowed nearly $22 million into producing and placing campaign ads.
