President Donald Trump, his two adult sons Donald Jr.and Eric, and three GOP Congressmen attended a cage-fighting match at New York City’s Madison Square Garden Saturday night, where the American leader of the free world got booed by those many see as his base.
According to The Washington Post, the evening, including tickets for the event and security cost $60,000, and the tab was picked up by the Republican National Committee (RNC).
It’s unclear why the RNC would pay the bill. It was not a fundraising event. As the Washington Post notes, the three congressmen –House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), Rep. Mark Meadows (R-NC) and Rep. Peter King (R-NY) – may be in violation of House ethics rules as a result.
“Members of the House are allowed to take free tickets for sporting events if the event is a ‘bona fide’ fundraiser, according to House ethics rules,” the Post explains. “The event was not an official fundraiser nor a campaign event, so it is unclear how the lawmakers could accept tickets. Members also have to receive written approval to take a gift. The official said the RNC paid because the president attended.”
As it turns out, Saturday’s “night out” was not the first time the president has entertained – and gotten booed – on the RNC’s dime.
“A week earlier, the RNC had paid $465 per seat in a luxury suite at Nationals Park for Trump, 11 members of Congress and senior White House staffers to attend the fifth game of the World Series between the Washington Nationals and the Houston Astros,” where the president was also greeted by loud booing. “The RNC also previously paid for the president to attend the college football national championship game in Atlanta.”