Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign is facing mounting criticism after reports revealed that extravagant concert events, held just before Election Day, drained $20 million from campaign funds. These events, which featured celebrity performances across multiple cities, have left staff and vendors worried about unpaid dues as the campaign grapples with a significant budget deficit.
Concerts Drained Campaign Funds, Leaving Staff and Vendors in the Lurch
Harris’ pre-election concert series, meant to energize voters and rally support, featured star-studded performances by artists like Bon Jovi in Detroit, Christina Aguilera in Las Vegas, Katy Perry in Pittsburgh, Lady Gaga in Philadelphia, and 2Chainz in Atlanta. However, the concerts, which had an estimated cost of $15 million to $20 million, quickly spiraled into debt, leaving the campaign struggling to pay off outstanding bills.
An insider close to the campaign spoke to The Post, revealing that the massive advance teams required to pull off the events in multiple cities – sometimes as many as 40 to 60 staff members – have not been fully compensated for their services. “I’m sure vendors will start to get upset soon,” the source said, referring to the mounting frustration over unpaid reimbursements.
Internal Criticism Over High Costs and Last-Minute Planning
The concerts, which were seen as a way to rally voters in the final days before the election, have been criticized for their cost and poor planning. Reports indicate that the idea for the concerts was initiated by Obama campaign alum Stephanie Cutter and supported by former Obama strategist David Plouffe. However, it was campaign chairwoman Jen O’Malley Dillon who ultimately gave the green light, despite internal hesitation.
Sources familiar with the situation said that the decision to approve these events was delayed, which ended up causing the campaign to overshoot its budget. “Putting [concerts] together last minute makes [them] cost twice as much,” one insider remarked, emphasizing the poor financial planning that led to the budget overruns.
Cutting Costs and Scaling Back Performances
As Election Day approached, campaign leaders realized that much of their $1 billion budget had already been spent. Faced with a growing deficit, efforts were made to scale back concert-related expenses, including cutting performances by certain artists like ’90s alt-rock legend Alanis Morissette, as reported by The New York Post. Despite these efforts, the campaign ultimately found itself at least $20 million in debt.
“It’s clear they knew the budget crunch at the end because they cut talent from some cities because of cost,” a source close to the campaign revealed, confirming the growing financial strain in the final stretch of the election.
Vendors and Staff Brace for Unpaid Dues
The impact of the campaign’s financial struggles is most evident among the staff and vendors who worked tirelessly to organize the concert events. According to an insider, “They had huge advance teams for these concerts, like 40-60 people in some cities,” yet payments to these individuals have been delayed or left in limbo.
Though campaign finance officials have assured that no one has been “stiffed” so far, sources indicate that the situation remains tense. “Vendors are still waiting to be paid, and they are getting frustrated,” one source noted.
A Missed Opportunity for Policy Messaging
Critics argue that the money spent on celebrity performances would have been better allocated to campaign initiatives that addressed more pressing voter concerns, particularly economic issues like inflation. “It didn’t matter to have a bunch of celebrities talking to no one because one, 75 million people already voted, and two, people were concerned about their own financial issues, not Oprah telling them America won’t exist,” one source remarked, criticizing the focus on entertainment rather than policy discussions.
The use of funds, especially in the final stretch of a campaign where voters were increasingly concerned about economic uncertainty, has been called a “real misuse of funds” by some within the campaign’s inner circle.
Campaign Debt and Ongoing Fundraising Efforts
Despite raising significant amounts throughout the 107-day campaign, Harris’ campaign ended with a $20 million shortfall. The campaign’s donation pages remain active post-election in an attempt to generate the funds necessary to cover the deficit. The ongoing fundraising efforts are expected to continue as the campaign seeks to settle its debts and address the financial fallout.
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