Vice President Kamala Harris' campaign spent about $2.5 million to Oprah Winfrey's production company for the celebrity-filled town hall, more than double the original estimate.
It was initially estimated that Winfrey's company, Harpo Productions, paid about $1 million for her September town hall with talk show legend Harris, but a new report says that amount was significantly underestimated. It turned out that it was being evaluated.
Two people who are familiar with the situation told the New York Times The actual compensation paid to Ms. Winfrey's company was nearly $2.5 million, but only a fraction of Ms. Harris' estimated campaign spending of $1.5 billion.
The famous TV star has denied receiving any personal payments from the Democratic team, and a former Harris campaign adviser also said he never paid anyone for appearances or assistance.
Winfrey said she did not keep any of the money in her pocket and used it to pay her team. She also noted that Harris' team was billed for necessary costs to City Hall.
“I wasn't paid a penny. For the live streaming event in September, my production company Harpo provided set design, lighting, cameras, crew, producers, and all other items necessary for live production. (Including the benches and chairs we were sitting on.) I received no personal fees.'' I wrote On Instagram.
“But the people who worked on it needed to be paid, and they were. End of story.”
The Harris campaign broke the record for the most donations raised in the shortest amount of time. Her campaign burned through $1.5 billion in 15 weeks, perhaps one of the most expensive ever.
Her exorbitant budget left Democrats $20 million in debt.
The funds were mainly used for the campaign's aggressive advertising costs, as the one-year rally had to be shortened to three months after Harris replaced Biden as the Democratic nominee. . There was also a grassroots movement, the inevitable social media advertising, and the involvement of celebrities and influencers like Winfrey.
The star-studded support included big-name artists like Beyoncé and Lady Gaga.
Other purchases claimed included nearly $9,000 worth of ice cream at an upscale store, $15,000 at a food delivery service and a surprise private jet trip during a two-week road trip in battleground states in October. Includes $2.6 million in total.
President-elect Donald Trump won 312 electoral votes and defeated Harris. The U.S. Senate and House of Representatives also tilted, with Republicans holding the majority across the board.
President Trump's estimated budget was $720 million. According to the Wall Street Journal. He devoted his time to campaigning by appearing on a series of online shows, including the Joe Rogan Experience, a podcast that tops most charts.
