Donald Trump is so damn lazy that he’s not even trying to hide his latest grift
The ex-president has been offering anyone who gives to his PAC the chance at a vacation getaway. But there's a catch...
www.queerty.com
Donald Trump has a new grift.
In recent weeks, he’s has been flying all over the country in his private plane, Trump Force One, giving speeches and trying out a shady new fundraising strategy on unsuspecting superfans.
The ex-president has been offering anyone who gives any amount to his PAC, Save America, the chance at a vacation getaway. That’s right, Team Trump is offering people sweepstakes as an incentive to give their hard-earned money to his scam political operation.
In the weeks leading up to his recent appearance in New Orleans, Trump sent over 15 bulk emails to small-dollar donors across the country offering them the chance at dinner with the him in the Big Easy.
“We booked you a plane ticket,” one of the message said, along with a photo of Trump photoshopped in the French Quarter. “Contribute ANY AMOUNT RIGHT NOW to be automatically entered to have dinner with President Trump in New Orleans.”
And now, the grift.
After taking people’s cash, Trump never followed through with his promise to select someone to wine and dine in the French Quarter. Instead, he took the money and ran. Or rather, he flew… on his private plane that almost crashed shortly after takeoff because of engine failure.
The Washington Post reports:
Trump initially said he would pick a New Orleans sweepstakes winner by February 28. That never happened. Now, a spokesperson chalked the whole thing up to an “administrative error.”
In a statement released on Friday, Taylor Budowich said: “President Trump has awarded more than 100 prizes to contest winners across America, but due to an administrative error in this individual circumstance, the contest winner was not properly notified for last weekend’s event in New Orleans. Consistent with the rules of the sweepstakes, a substitute prize will be awarded to the winner.”
Budowich didn’t specify what the substitute prize would be, but the official contest rules state it should be of “greater or equal value.” He also would not say how much money the New Orleans contest raised or how winners would be chosen and notified.
“We protect the privacy of participants, given the hostility and intimidation tactics often used against supporters of President Trump,” he remarked.
According to former federal prosecutor Peter R. Zeidenberg, if Team Trump knowingly took people’s money without ever intending on honoring the sweepstake, that would be illegal.
“If, on the other hand, they had planned a dinner but it fell through, then that’s definitely not a crime,” he tells the Washington Post.
Here’s what people on Twitter are saying…
Except they apparently had the same “administrative error” every time they did this.
It’s something you can google
— CarolT (@caroltracyMarch 12, 2022
Graham Gremore is the Features Editor and a Staff Writer at Queerty. Follow him on Twitter @grahamgremore.
