A decision by the Teamster's political committee to gift the Republican National Committee with a $42,000 donation in a year when Donald Trump will likely benefit from it has drawn fire from one of the union's board members.
With the RNC reeling from economic woes brought about, in part, by departing chair Ronna McDaniel — with Trump planning on stacking the leadership with his daughter-in-law Lara Trump who previously claimed "every penny" should go to her father-in-law's re-election bid — eyebrows were raised by the stunning contribution.
According to the Washington Post, the Teamster's gave "the maximum allowed from the union’s political action committee" to the RNC, which is causing rift among members considering the GOP's historical antipathy towards unions.
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As the Post's Lauren Kaori Gurley wrote, "The Teamsters occasionally make small political contributions through its political action committee to Republican candidates and PACs, but the donation to the RNC departs from its usual spending. It is the union’s first contribution to the RNC since it donated $15,000 in 2004, according to data on Open Secrets, a Washington nonprofit that tracks campaign finance contributions."
The new donation is facing some criticism, with executive board member John Palmer taking a pot-shot at the decision.
“We’ve never done anything like this in my time on the board,” he told the Post before complaining. “I suspect the play is that we’ll have a bit more leverage with the GOP, but it appears like a tacit endorsement of Trump.”
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