The Republican National Committee (RNC) on Monday fired back at Donald Trump after the former president sent a cease-and-desist letter demanding they stop using his name to raise money from his supporters. In its response, the RNC dismissed the letter arguing that the GOP campaign arm has the right to use Trump’s name in its fundraising efforts.
The response from RNC chief counsel Justin Riemer says the GOP “has every right to refer to public figures as it engages in core, First Amendment-protected political speech, and it will continue to do so in pursuit of these common goals.”
Trump lawyers last week sent a cease-and-desist letter to the RNC, the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) and the National Republican Congressional Committee over the weekend demanding the groups stop using Trump’s name, image and/or likeness in all fundraising, persuasion, and/or issue speech.”
That move comes amid tensions between Trump and GOP leaders in Congress after 10 House Republicans and seven Senate Republicans voted to impeach him.
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Trump, who has vowed to retaliate against the Republicans he views as insufficiently loyal, has built up a considerable grassroots fundraising machine, and the former president’s name is a valuable asset for his PACs and across the GOP campaign committees.
Some political insiders say that Trump would cut off the NRSC to spite Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), who has urged the party to move on from the toxic former president.
