In a startling development that has added fuel to the fiery political landscape, Lara Trump, co-chair of the Republican National Committee, has accused Kamala Harris of orchestrating a “highly illegal” campaign fundraising scheme. This scheme allegedly involved students and educators in North Carolina, a critical swing state, raising serious legal and ethical questions about the conduct of Harris’ campaign.
The accusation centers on emails sent by Reed Breunig, a regional organizer for the Harris campaign, to teachers in Gaston, North Carolina. These emails purportedly encouraged teachers to involve their students in volunteer opportunities with the campaign. Breunig’s email described an “exciting opportunity” for high school students to engage in the political process, offering a fellowship that required students to volunteer around 5-10 hours a week. While unpaid, the fellowship promised to provide school credit and volunteer hours, potentially violating state laws prohibiting public employees from engaging in political activities during work hours or using state resources for campaign purposes.
Lara Trump publicized these allegations on social media, warning parents about the purportedly inappropriate involvement of left-leaning teachers. She highlighted the seriousness of this issue, noting that if official school resources were used to promote the campaign, it could be a breach of state regulations. The Gaston County School Board has since responded by reportedly shutting down the program and launching an investigation into the matter.
BREAKING!???? North Carolina: @LaraLeaTrump reports that the Harris campaign was found to be engaged in “HIGHLY ILLEGAL” campaign activities involving teachers and students.
The Gaston County School Board has reportedly shut this down and is currently investigating the matter. pic.twitter.com/7CCHrMrrPX
— True the Vote (@TrueTheVote) September 6, 2024
The potential fallout from this controversy could be significant for Harris, especially in a state where the race between her and Trump is incredibly tight. According to recent polling data from FiveThirtyEight, Trump holds a marginal lead over Harris. This incident could further sway undecided voters or reinforce existing biases, affecting Harris’ efforts to secure support in North Carolina.
Meanwhile, the Trump campaign continues to emphasize election integrity, deploying a substantial legal team across battleground states and advocating for strict voter ID laws. These efforts underscore Trump’s longstanding claims of election fraud, despite previous lawsuits being dismissed.
BREAKING : I reported Wednesday that an NC Democrat operative working for 2024 Victory – an organization for Harris-Walz & & ties to the NC Dem Party – reached out to more than 400 Gaston County high school teachers & workers asking them to do something illegal: have them ask… pic.twitter.com/QDkVrRHI09
— Brett Jensen WBT News (@Brett_Jensen) August 30, 2024