USA28 September, 20262 min read
Richard Painter Says Donald Trump’s Taxpayer-Funded Ads Could Be Impeachable Offense
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Former White House ethics attorney says taxpayer-funded ads promoting Trump could be impeachable. Ads aired across networks funded by government amount to using public funds for campaigning.
Taxpayer-Funded Trump Ads
Former White House ethics attorney Richard Painter said President Donald Trump’s use of taxpayer funds to pay for campaign ads could be “an impeachable offense,” warning that the ads amounted to government-sponsored “propagandha.”
Painter pointed to advertisements aired across multiple networks that carried disclaimers reading “Paid for by the U.S. Government,” and he argued that the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 bars public officials from using taxpayer dollars for campaigning purposes.
Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA) questioned the legality and said the use of taxpayer money to fund ads promoting the president was “probably” illegal.
The New York Times said Trump’s 2024 “Final Battle” ad returned this weekend with the words “Paid for by the U.S. Government” appearing on screen as the spot aired across the country.
The New York Times also said the ad showed Trump vowing to “expel the warmongers” from the government and fight the “deep state” even as he wages a war with Iran.
Bipartisan Criticism
Norm Eisen, a former White House special counsel for ethics and government reform under Barack Obama, told The New York Times that “the president and his administration have gone from breaking the law to trampling it.”
Eisen added that “The prior ad was bad enough, but this one openly repurposes prior political conduct.”
Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) wrote on social media that “Every taxpayer, no matter your party, should be outraged by this.”
Sen. John Kennedy (La) told host Margaret Brennan on CBS’s “Face the Nation” that “I don’t think any public official, including President Trump … or John Kennedy, should spend public money … on private ads for themselves.”
The White House defended the clips as public service announcements and said they were “clearly not” campaign ads because Trump is not on the ballot in November.
What Comes Next
The New York Times said the ad aired during “Fox News Sunday,” “Saturday Night Live” and several college and NFL football games this weekend, including the Seattle Seahawks versus Washington Commanders contest and the Ohio State-Illinois matchup, according to data from AdImpact. Common Dreams said the White House recycled material from President Donald Trump’s 2024 campaign for a new taxpayer-funded ad that aired nationwide this past weekend, just weeks before the high-stakes November midterms. Common Dreams said the 30-second black-and-white ad included the on-screen disclaimer “Paid for by the US government.”
Common Dreams quoted Richard Painter saying the taxpayer-funded campaign ads “could be an impeachable offense,” and it said the federal government appears to have spent more than $1 million on pro-Trump ads in recent days. The Hill said the White House rejected criticism by claiming the commercials “are clearly not campaign ads” since Trump is not on the ballot in November, while the president instructed voters to “pretend” as if he is on the ballot in the midterms.