'Unethical' and 'corrupt': Melania Trump slammed over 6-figure fee for political event

Former First Lady Melania Trump, who has been all but entirely absent from the campaign trail and from her husband’s numerous courthouse appearances, is under fire for accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars to appear at a political event, a fundraiser for a Republican group, the Log Cabin Republicans, that says it does not know who paid for her to appear.

Calling it “a highly unusual move for the spouse of a candidate,” CNN reports the spouse of the GOP presidential nominee “spoke at two political fundraisers for the Log Cabin Republicans this year, and she was paid $237,500 for an April event.” The news outlet reports former President Donald Trump’s latest financial disclosure form listed it as a “speaking engagement.”

CNN also reports, “it’s a mystery who actually cut the check: Charles Moran, president of the Log Cabin Republicans, told CNN earlier this month the group did not put up the money for her to speak, and the disclosure form did not give any more information about the source of the payment.”

The Log Cabin Republicans says it is the “nation’s original and largest organization representing LGBT conservatives and straight allies who support fairness, freedom, and equality for all Americans.”

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It is not yet known if Trump was paid for the second appearance, in July, but a “source told CNN that Ric Grenell, former ambassador to Germany and a Trump ally, was the one who made the request on behalf of Melania Trump. Sources said Grenell has also helped the former first lady with other business ventures.”

Paying a current candidate’s spouse for an appearance is “unusual,” and “ethically questionable,” CNN adds.

This appears to be a short clip from her April appearance:

CNN describes the former First Lady’s appearances as “two political fundraisers for the Log Cabin Republicans,” but in April, Page Six reported her April appearance as a “campaign trail” event, and “an intimate, power fundraiser for the Log Cabin Republicans,” while also stating “tickets went for up to $50,000 a pop, with the funds primarily being used to help Trump and other GOP candidates get elected in 2024.”

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Democratic pollster and strategist Matt McDermott noted, “This wasn’t some massive gala: pictures show it was in a small room and just 60 people attended. Why are they refusing to say who paid her?”

“It is absolutely insane, and incredibly unethical, for a candidate’s spouse to be making six figure paychecks for a political speech, McDermott added. “More concerning, hiding who made these payments makes this not only unethical, but corrupt.”

Watch CNN’s report below or at this link.