Oprah town hall cost Harris campaign far more than initially claimed: report
Vice President Kamala Harris\’ presidential campaign has come under scrutiny after a new report revealed that the campaign paid more than double the previously reported amount for the Oprah Winfrey town hall event. According to FEC filings, the Harris campaign made two $500,000 payments to Winfrey’s Harpo Productions on Oct. 15, totaling $1 million. However, sources have now disclosed that the full price of the event with Winfrey was closer to $2.5 million.
The Harris campaign reportedly spent a staggering $1.5 billion, or $100 million per week during her 15-week presidential run. Democrat donors have expressed frustration at the constant bombardment of requests for donations, and the Democratic Party is reportedly $20 million in debt from the failed campaign.
One of the most eye-catching expenditures from the campaign was nearly $9,000 spent on ice cream from high-end shops like Sweet Lucy\’s Ice Cream and Jeni\’s Splendid Ice Creams. Additionally, the campaign reportedly used almost $15,000 on food delivery services such as Uber Eats and DoorDash, and $2.6 million on travel aboard private jets during a two-week period in October.
Despite the hefty spending, the campaign still fell short in key states, with Harris losing Nevada by three points despite spending $900,000 to reserve ad space on Las Vegas\’ Sphere in the final week of the election.
The bulk of the extravagant spending reportedly went to celebrity appearances and performances, as well as influencer partnerships meant to boost campaign events. Oprah Winfrey, a billionaire, claimed she was “paid nothing” for her involvement in the campaign when confronted by TMZ.
A spokesperson for Harpo Productions acknowledged that the company received money from the campaign but stated it was for “production costs.” The spokesperson clarified that Winfrey did not receive a personal fee from the campaign.
Fox News Digital reached out to the Harris campaign for comment but did not immediately receive a response. The campaign\’s spending habits have raised questions about financial management and allocation of resources during the presidential race.
