Should the RNC Pay Trump’s Legal Bills?

Plus: An RNC purge?

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Henry Barbour, Republican National Committeeman from Mississippi, discusses his proposed resolutions that would bar the RNC from spending money on Trump’s legal bills.

The Agenda:
—Getting back to the RNC’s roots
—Electing Lara Trump
—Did Ronna McDaniel get what she deserved?
—Speaking out against Trump
—Concerns about an RNC purge

Show Notes:

-Super Tuesday coverage from The Dispatch

-Watch the interview on our YouTube channel

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Comments (14)
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  1. Avatar photo
    Cal Amari

    People like Barbour are seasoned in American politics, and I really think that deep down his life's work owes a lot to his love for America - the idea and enduring constitutional Republic. If I am right, he loves this nation, then he must know deep down that Trump's actions post 2020 are a sin against our constitutional order. If the names and letters were switched - if Hillary Clinton or Joe Biden were to dive into a sea of conspiracy theories, and abuse their executive authority to hold onto power after losing an election - people like Barbour would be rightfully agast at the idea of returning power to such a character.

    He has to know it's wrong and that he's selling his soul for a cheap partisan victory.

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    David Chen

    I for one look forward to DT pilfering the RNC for every cent it has and dooming the GOP up and down the ballot. It would be the most fitting end to the The Great Con Don.

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  3. Runyan.Jason

    Great interview David! I will be sad when Henry loses his job for not worshipping Trump like everyone else that doesn't worship him. But as far the binary choice, and his fear of Biden being reelected? Sorry Jack, if republicans were that concerned they wouldn't elect someone they KNOW millions of republicans, conservatives and recent independents (such as myself) will NEVER vote for. Whatever happens happens. Biden may be old a senile, but hes not a narcissistic psychopath that tried to steal an election. This is where the country is. Neither side wants to win, so we all suffer the consequences.

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    George.Skinner

    Mr Barbour spoke volumes in not pushing back on a lot of David Drucker’s questions about Trump’s motives. Mostly, I sensed the weary acceptance of a man who’s worked behind the scenes for his party for decades, only to see it take a sharp turn towards a populist demagogue that nobody’s been able to stop.

    It’s sad to think that even his mild, well reasoned objections to the intentions of the Trump faction will probably get him exiled. It’s an illustration of the ignorance and short-sighted thinking of MAGA that they’ve been purging the party of the people who did the somewhat thankless work to make the party function.

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      John Lewis

      Agreed. Sounded like resignation from a short-timer. I’m not sure how else one would act if when offering some common sense advice knows that while it’s being offered, the advice is dead on arrival.

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    Brianj

    Paraphrase of Barbour: "Trump tried to undermine a fair election, is shrinking the party, and will attempt to unethically divert GOP funds for personal use. Also, I'll do everything I can to help him win."

    One of the massive problems with our country is that insiders, even coherent ones like Barbour, believe winning at all costs TRUMPS building a party that's good for our country and worthy of our loyalty.

    (Good interview.)

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  6. Martha O'Brien

    Good interview David! Your questions were spot on (and respectful). I was surprised that Mr. Barbour was somewhat forthcoming with his answers----truly much more than I expected. My favorite comment was when he said he donated $500 to Nikki Haley after Mr. Trump said her supporters are not welcome in the Republican Party. He appears to be a man that believes in being a team player, but I could feel the disappointment in his voice when it comes to what Mr. Trump has done or could possibly do in the future. It's just so sad where we are as a country. As a Texan able to vote in either party's primary, I went to the Republican side today (which I've rarely done) and I only cast a vote in one race and that was for Nikki Haley. I'm not sure if it was Jonah or another pundit of DM who said it, but I'm all for the 70% of us that are sane sending multiple invitations to Trunp & Biden for many backyard games of Lawn Darts. NOT saying that they'd have to play, but maybe they would at least get the message!

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    Addicus

    Henry Barbour says, "Maybe it's not in his DNA but, Donald Trump needs to do this, do that, and do normal things to be inclusive." Not in his DNA? That's an understatement! Has he been listening to the man lately?

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      Charley Warns

      He's saying it's not in his genetic instructions (i.e., the code that makes you ... you). So it's not an understatement.

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    Charley Warns

    That's a rhetorical question, right? If someone says the money will not be used for Trump's personal use but then doesn't back Henry Barbour's resolution, that raises a red flag, as there's no reason to believe him. And with Trump's daughter in law managing the funds?! Barbour sounds like a very reasonable guy, but I would be giving into extortion if I voted for Trump. I'm willing to look at and evaluate any Republican in the primary, but that process all goes for waste as there's with one faction (it being a basket of deplorables) that only want one guy. It's wrong to give in!

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  9. Avatar photo
    Cody Pogalz

    Ok. Up front, I'll admit that I'm only halfway through this episode.

    But holy moly this RNC proposal--at least as I understand it--seems idiotic. Remember the kerfuffle around the Biden Admin releasing funds to Iran with the claim that such funds would not be used for terrorism? At the time, the correct rejoinder was "money is fungible." In Trump's case, a guarantee that the RNC won't pay for attorney invoices just means that it can pay for ads, candidate travel, whatever....thereby freeing up Trump cash to pay legal fees.

    Here's the problem: the GOP is going to nominate a guy who cannot be trusted to act ethically. When that happens, and norms and standards of decency cannot be observed, rules need to be developed. The RNC has to make rules because its voters are choosing a guy who cannot be trusted, as a matter of character, to act appropriately.

    Gimme Calvin Coolidge.

    Rant over. Now, as Clark W. Griswold would say, "holy sh*t where's the Tylenol?"

    Update: made it to the end of the pod. My point stands.

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      Charley Warns

      It's more like we can trust Trump to act unethically. Like that's a sure thing!

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  10. Austin from Atlanta

    26:58 - Did he say “I agree with the 82% of Americans who say we need a new president?” Eighty. Two?

    Where on earth is that number coming from? Biden’s approval is hovering around 40%. I think you would have a hard time getting much more than 82% of Americans to agree that ice cream tastes yummy or that peanut butter should be legal.

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      squarooticus

      That is the approximately the percentage of Americans who say Biden is too old to be President again.

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