Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey is demanding payment in advance for the security costs associated with Trump’s rally in his city.
Mayor Frey said, “Cities are already stretched extremely thin, so to force us to pay all of the associated costs when president trump comes to town for a campaign rally, I think plainly it is unfair and so I believe that the President of the United States should pay his bills, even if he really doesn’t like paying his bills.”
Video:
Mayor Jacob Frey demands that Trump pay the security costs for his rally in Minneapolis. #MinneapolisTrump pic.twitter.com/QTAfVvaQg4
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— Sarah Reese Jones (@PoliticusSarah) October 10, 2019
Frey also tweeted:
My position remains unchanged: Minneapolis taxpayers should not have to bear the brunt of operating costs resulting from the president’s visit. https://t.co/qo80JKG23o
— Jacob Frey (@Jacob_Frey) October 10, 2019
Mayor Frey has good reason to be concerned. According to Dave Levinthal at Public Integrity, the Trump campaign owes ten cites $841,000 for security costs associated with rallies, “In all, 10 city governments — from Spokane, Washington, to Erie, Pennsylvania — say that Trump’s campaign owes them a combined $841,219, the Center for Public Integrity reported in June. El Paso, Texas, alone wants Trump to pay $470,417 stemming from a rally in February — now more than $569,000 after the city hit Trump’s campaign with a late fee.”
Frey is looking out for the taxpayers of his city, and he has made it clear that his position applies to both Republicans and Democrats.
The law is clear on this issue. Trump doesn’t get free security from cities for campaign events. Trump’s rally is being hosted by the Trump campaign. It is not a presidential event. Therefore, the Trump campaign must pay any additional security costs.
More cities need to take this stand, because Trump’s freeloading is straining the budgets of cities, and forcing the taxpayers to pick up the tab.
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Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
