Kamala Harris’s campaign paid more than double the anticipated amount to Oprah Winfrey’s company for a live-streamed event during the recent presidential race.
According to two sources, it has been revealed that Harris paid nearly $2.5 million to Winfrey Harpo Productions for the “United for America” event in September. This contradicts earlier reports which stated that the event only cost the Democratic candidate $1 million.
During her short-lived presidential campaign, Harris spent a staggering $100 million per week. Her bid for the presidency began in late July after Joe Biden withdrew from the race.
Supporters are still receiving donation pleas even after her nearly $1.8 billion campaign left the Democratic Party with a $20 million debt.
Growing concerns have been raised about the Democratic campaign due to their extravagant spending, particularly following their significant defeat to Republican Donald Trump, who defeated Harris with 312 Electoral College votes.
Harris primarily allocated her funds towards influencer partnerships, celebrity performances at her events, and private jet travel between battleground states.
In the days leading up to the election, the campaign spent a staggering $20 million on concerts and celebrity appearances, according to FEC filings. This amount is nearly equivalent to the reported debt of the campaign.
According to a recent report from The New York Times, Oprah Winfrey’s production firm received approximately $2.5 million for hosting a town hall with Harris in September.
During the event, the TV personality engaged in a captivating interview with the Democratic candidate, covering important topics such as immigration and abortion rights. The event received an impressive 1.2 million views in less than 12 hours.
A spokesperson from Harpo Productions stated that the campaign covered the expenses for the production of the ‘Unite for America’ live streaming event, which was held on September 19 in Detroit, Michigan.
According to their statement, Oprah Winfrey did not receive any personal fee or payment from Harpo during the campaign.
The virtual town hall garnered attention as a star-studded affair, featuring appearances from renowned personalities such as Meryl Streep, Chris Rock, Ben Stiller, and Julia Roberts.
According to the talk show host, she made it clear that she did not personally benefit from the funds; instead, she used the money to pay her team and cover the necessary expenses for the event.
In a comment on Instagram, Winfrey clarified that she did not receive any payment for her involvement.
During the livestreaming event in September, Harpo, my production company, was tasked with providing all the essential components for a live production. This included set design, lighting, cameras, crew, producers, and even the benches and chairs we sat on.
“I didn’t take any personal fee, but I made sure that the people who worked on that production were compensated for their efforts. And they were. That’s the whole story.”
Celebrities like Oprah Winfrey, Beyoncé, Christina Aguilera, Megan Thee Stallion, Bon Jovi, Lady Gaga, Bruce Springsteen, and Katy Perry were all recipients of millions of dollars.
The effectiveness of celebrity endorsements and performances has come under scrutiny, particularly after Kamala Harris’ expensive defeat, especially considering that Donald Trump spent less on his campaign.
The Democratic campaign, along with pro-Democratic outside groups, poured a staggering total of $1.8 billion into their efforts. In comparison, the Trump campaign and outside groups spent $1.4 billion.
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