BLOOMBERG
(Bloomberg) — President Joe Biden, who has criticized Republican rival Donald Trump for relying on political donations to pay his legal bills, used nearly $2 million raised by the Democratic National Committee to pay his own lawyers.
The DNC paid $1.1 million to Bob Bauer PLLC, the firm of the veteran political lawyer, hired to defend Biden in the investigation over his mishandling of classified documents, according to Federal Election Commission disclosures since 2023. Special counsel Robert Hur, who led the investigation, chose not to prosecute Biden because he didn’t believe he could win a conviction.
Another firm, Hemenway & Barnes LLP, saw increased payments starting in July 2023. Jennifer Miller, an attorney at the firm, represented Biden as well, according to the special counsel’s report. The DNC isn’t required to disclose the precise matters the costs covered. News organization Axios first reported the payments.
The payments give Trump, who has been indicted over his own handling of classified documents, a political opening to say that Biden has acted hypocritically. Trump’s use of money has been a source of controversy within his own party with some factions worried he could siphon off cash that could be used to win Republican majorities in Congress.
