Kamala Harris Criticized After Fundraising Committee Charges Donors Months After Election

More than two months after Kamala Harris lost the 2024 election to President-elect Donald Trump, her joint fundraising committee with the Democratic National Committee (DNC) is still charging recurring donations to some supporters. According to Politico, many of these donors are frustrated by the continued withdrawals.

One donor, who spoke to Politico, shared that they were still being charged in January despite the election having ended in November. They expressed their disappointment, saying it felt “silly” and “out of touch,” adding that it seemed like an attempt to take advantage of loyal supporters. Screenshots showed how the Harris Victory Fund had continued to deduct money without seeking explicit consent from the donors. Instead, the committee only stated that donations would keep coming unless the donor specifically requested otherwise.

A former staffer for Mitt Romney’s 2012 campaign, who was also quoted in the report, slammed the practice as “super shady” and compared it to “grifting.” They noted that Romney’s campaign had promptly ended recurring donations just days after his election loss.

“These people didn’t sign up to be paying bills in January,” the ex-Romney staffer said.

A DNC official clarified to Politico that the Harris Victory Fund is no longer active and that the funds being collected are now redirected to the DNC to support Democrats across the country as part of a broader rebuilding effort.

During the 2024 election cycle, the Democratic and Republican parties together raised an eye-popping $4.7 billion, with the Democrats pulling in roughly $2.9 billion. However, some donors argue there’s an expectation that committees should stop collecting donations once the campaign is over—especially when there’s no longer an immediate need for the funds.

Mike Nellis, the head of the Democratic online fundraising firm Authentic, said that while it’s acceptable for donations to be redirected to the DNC, it’s crucial for such moves to be transparent to the donors and compliant with Federal Election Commission (FEC) rules.

This issue isn’t new—online fundraising practices have been a controversial topic in both major political parties for years. In 2020, former President Trump’s campaign attracted widespread criticism for setting up recurring donations as the default option, making it difficult for supporters to opt out. Many reported being charged without realizing it, with some saying they unknowingly had money taken from their accounts that was meant for rent or groceries.

As online donation tactics continue to evolve, it’s clear that transparency is key in maintaining trust with supporters. Whether it’s the Harris campaign or Trump’s, it’s everyday Americans who often end up paying the price.