What’s Going On? – Harris Campaign Still Fundraising for Recounts That Are Already Done

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Disclaimer: The article may include the author's opinions.

Vice President Kamala Harris is raising funds for potential recount efforts, but there are significant concerns surrounding the legitimacy of these actions. The time for a recount has already passed in most states, and Harris has not shown any intention to request one.

Additionally, her campaign is reportedly in debt, raising questions about whether the funds are being raised to settle that debt instead. The Daily Signal reported that the funds are being collected through the Act Blue platform, which has specific guidelines for how the donations are allocated.

The platform specifies that the first portion of donations will go to the Democratic National Committee (DNC), while the remaining funds will be used for Harris’s “Recount Account” or split among Democratic state parties in various states.

Recently, a group of cybersecurity experts called for recounts in Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, claiming there had been data breaches in the voting systems. However, recounts in Michigan, Nevada, and Wisconsin are no longer possible as the deadlines for requesting them have passed. In Pennsylvania, the deadline for requesting a recount is approaching on Monday.

According to Michigan law, a campaign’s petition for a recount must assert that the candidate is “aggrieved on account of fraud or mistake” and must show that, but for the alleged fraud or mistake, the candidate would have had a reasonable chance of winning. This legal requirement makes a recount highly unlikely in those states. Still, it does not seem to be illegal to use funds raised for a recount for other purposes, as per the Federal Election Commission (FEC).

The Daily Signal cited an FEC advisory opinion from 2019 regarding former Sen. Bill Nelson’s campaign. The opinion concluded that using surplus recount funds for other purposes, such as donations to a national party or charitable causes, would not violate federal election laws as long as it wasn’t meant to influence a federal election.

Amid these concerns, there has been additional controversy surrounding the Harris campaign’s decision to spend up to $20 million on swing-state concerts just before the election. The New York Post reported that this spending, particularly on high-profile performances by stars like Jon Bon Jovi, Christina Aguilera, and Lady Gaga, may have left the campaign in financial trouble. Some members of the campaign expressed that the concerts were a financial drain, with one performance by Alanis Morissette even being canceled to save money.

With reports indicating the campaign’s debt, there are worries that staff and vendors may not be paid. If this happens, the campaign could face legal action from those seeking compensation.