As of earlier this month, former President Donald Trump’s political action committee, Save America, had already spent more than $40 million dating back to 2021 on his legal fees stemming from dozens of federal and state charges related to his mishandling of classified documents and hush money paid to porn star Stormy Daniels, among many other things.
The costs were so staggering that the leadership PAC, which has been bankrolling Trump’s legal defense, also reportedly requested a refund on a $60 million contribution – signaling it knew those fees were set to balloon.
Now, the twice-impeached former president is staring down 91 criminal charges stemming from four indictments – the latest of which also names 18 of his closest allies as co-defendants in a sprawling racketeering scheme in Georgia to spread conspiracy theories, pressure elected officials and prop up fake electors in an attempt to remain in power despite having lost the 2020 presidential election in a free and fair vote.
The 18 co-defendants include former Trump administration officials, such as former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows and former acting Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey Clark, and a host of high-profile attorneys – among them, Rudy Giuliani, John Eastman, Sidney Powell and Jenna Ellis.
But the list also includes much lesser known individuals – a former public school teacher, a pastor, a publicist, a bond bail businessman – all of whom put their personal lives and professional careers on the line for Trump and now want to know who will cover their legal fees.
“While you may know me as an alternate elector and former County GAGOP Chair, I am also a retired public school teacher living on a teacher's pension,” Cathy Lathom, one of the co-defendants, posted to a crowdfunding website she’s using to raise money.
Lathom, former GOP chairwoman for Coffee County and a member of the Georgia Republican Party's executive committee, was indicted for her role as a fake elector and for allowing unauthorized forensics experts and Trump allies to examine voting systems in Coffee County for an extended period.
“I am asking for your help today to help me cover legal fees during this time,” she wrote. At the time of publication she’s received $3,905 in donations out of the $500,000 she’s attempting to raise.
Trump, who has a checkered history of paying in full for his own legal defenses, appeared open to helping Giuliani cover at least a portion of his legal fees. According to reporting from The New York Times, Trump has directed more than $340,000 to help with what’s expected to be a $3 million tab – though that was only after multiple attempts by Giuliani, his lawyers and his son to secure such support.
But Trump has yet to announce any type of aid for others caught up in his attempt to undermine the 2020 election, despite the fact that he’s been campaigning and fundraising off his mounting legal woes. His various PACs, Save America and Make American Great Again, also known as MAGA Inc, have similarly been mum on the issue.
Ellis, who had raised $92,515 at the time of this publication through a crowdfunding site to support her legal defense, took to social media earlier this week to call out Trump.
“I was reliably informed Trump isn’t funding any of us who are indicted,” she said on the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter. "Would this change if he becomes the nominee? Why then, not now?”
“Why isn’t MAGA, Inc. funding everyone’s defense?”
。 近日，“开封王婆”赵梅在江西多个景区举行“说媒”活动引发关注。
B | 活动中，当地媒婆称彩礼“38 万
8”，部分女嘉宾提出高要求，让“王婆”露出“痛苦面具”，并引发网友热议。 “开封王婆”赵梅回应称，用人格发誓，自己从来没有剧本，嘉宾都是随机点的，但不能保证被别人编剧本。她还表示，江西有江西的风俗，河南有河南的风俗，自己不可能把江西的彩礼打下来，也不便多言。一些网友质疑有剧本，景区和“王婆”均回应称现场嘉宾随机选择。女嘉宾对彩礼看法不一，江西一直在整治高价彩礼，推出多项举措倡导文明嫁娶新风尚。专家认为，破解高价彩礼难题需推动乡村振兴，缩小城乡差距。 治理高额彩礼需要严紧细实 为贯彻落实推进移风易俗和高额彩礼专项治理要求，2023年12月11日，最高法、民政部、全国妇联联合举行“推进移风易俗
治理高额彩礼”新闻发布会，发布涉彩礼纠纷典型案例，明确审理原则。
C | 当日，最高法还发布了《关于审理涉彩礼纠纷案件适用法律问题的规定（征求意见稿）》，进一步统一裁判标准。 “禁止以彩礼为名借婚姻索取财物。”此次3部门的回应及征求意见稿的发布，规范了彩礼相关内容并设定了统一裁判标准，回应了人民群众的新要求、新期待，对于树立优良家风，弘扬家庭美德，引导社会形成文明风尚具有重要意义。 彩礼作为我国古代婚姻习俗中的“六礼”之一，本是男女双方缔结婚姻的重要象征，蕴含着对未来婚姻生活的美好祝愿。但近些年来，随着高额彩礼的“肆意横行”，彩礼的本意被曲解，因彩礼产生的纠纷案件不断增多，不仅触及社会公序良俗底线，更有甚者违反法律法规，引发恶性刑事案件。 为遏制高额彩礼不良风气，2019年发布的《关于进一步推进移风易俗建设文明乡风的指导意见》明确要求，对乡村社会利用婚丧嫁娶敛财等违法犯罪行为进行重点整治；2021年以来，中央一号文件又连续3年对治理高额彩礼、移风易俗提出工作要求……从这些举措能够看到，治理高额彩礼已经从“大声疾呼”走向积极行动。
D | 从中央到地方，各类文件、意见、工作方案相继出炉，诸多安排部署都明确要求治理高额彩礼。
E | 从社会效果看，抵制高额彩礼正深入人心，并且成为许多青年男女的自发选择。
F | 如今，3部门主动回应社会关切，通过以案释法破解高额彩礼治理这一痼疾，统一类似纠纷案件法律适用，明确处理涉彩礼纠纷原则，释放出以公平原则平衡各方利益的信号。 面对一个久已存在且成因复杂的社会治理难题，只有严紧细实、综合施策，才能积小功成大胜。一方面，各部门要进一步形成合力，强化彩礼前端治理，全面推行婚俗改革，加强高额彩礼治理力度，大力宣传文明新风，让人人都参与进来；另一方面，瞄准深层次原因，从就业、民生、乡风塑造、示范引领等方面多措并举、综合发力，把高额彩礼的生存土壤清除干净。
G | （图源网络 中国小康网综合@燃新闻、人民日报）。
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