Originally Posted by
Dan Druff
I'm not Trump defender, but I don't think that's what he was doing. Look at the amounts involved. That might seem like big money to you and I, but not to someone like Donald Trump.
I believe that these expenditures were simply the campaign using Trump's own products/services for their needs, probably because they knew them best and of course knew they would get the top service. I agree it's a conflict of interest and doesn't look good, but I don't think it's Trump's way of embezzling from his campaign. I mean... that ledger even shows a $94 payment. Do you think Trump is embezzling $94 from his campaign?
Druff,
It is common misconception that people with a lot of money don't sweat the small stuff. Perhaps most don't, but (1) Trump has demonstrated that he
does care about such amounts, and (2) some rich people get (or stay) that way because they have such a focus, almost pathological.
Re Trump: It's been documented that he had his accountant file for an $300 tax break on his NYC penthouse that is only eligible to people who make less than $500k per year. Whether he actual makes only that much isn't the main issue, but that he has people working for him focusing on such details when he self-reports being worth $10 billion is consistent with him "caring" about $94 dollars.
Re other examples:
• John D Rockefeller kept a journal of every personal expenditure he made throughout most of his life. His penny-pinching ways helped him crush his business competitors, but also irritated his children and their spouses until he relaxed a bit in his quite old age.
• The CEO of a major personal healthcare company who sat on the board of directors of a major company I worked for was notoriously cheap, per a friend of mine in my company who managed paying the directors for board meetings they attended, whether in person or by phone. Even though this CEO/board member was making $5-$10 million per year in salary and bonus at his CEO position (not counting the considerable stock and stock option grants he received each year),...
... His once called my friend to bitch about needing to get paid for a telephone call board appearance that he actually hadn't attended. How much was he bitching about? Something close to $100.
... His wife bitched out my friend one Christmas at their home doorstep for not bringing them a $60 cooked ham (that they never actually requested) versus the free $25 holiday turkey each of the directors were gifted that year.
... Unlike Johnny D, who was as honest in his penny-pinching, this CEO later got bounced from his company for suspected embezzlement. At the time, his stock holdings in that company from the grants he had received were worth over $50 mill.
So, yeah. Rich people can be real dicks about small amounts.
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