President Trump personally instructed his budget director to utilize taxpayer money for television advertisements that praise him and his administration, initiating a $20 million contract financed through the Department of Homeland Security. According to individuals familiar with the matter, the president was eager to see the laudatory spots broadcast and told Russell T. Vought, the director of the Office of Management and Budget, to secure the funds from government resources. Mark Paoletta, the budget office’s counsel, and Will Scharf, the White House counsel, both determined that utilizing D.H.S. funds for this purpose would be legal. Additionally, both the president and White House chief of staff Susie Wiles spoke with Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin regarding the initiative. Federal records show that on September 20, U.S. Customs and Border Protection awarded the contract to LMD, a marketing firm based in Maryland. The commercials have appeared across network and cable television, including on Fox News, CNN, and MS Now, as well as during national newscasts and football broadcasts. These taxpayer-financed spots have drawn criticism from Democrats and some Republicans who question whether they violate federal prohibitions against using public funds for publicity or propaganda. The initiative occurs alongside the president’s ongoing direction of spending from his super PAC, MAGA Inc., which held $400 million entering the fall season.
Source: nytimes.com
