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Celebrity

How Kamala Harris' Campaign Spent on Beyoncé and Oprah Endorsements

2024-12-11

Vice President Kamala Harris' presidential campaign has been in the spotlight recently. Reports have emerged suggesting that her campaign made significant payments to Beyoncé's production company, Parkwood Production Media LLC. According to records from the US Federal Election Commission accessed by USA Today, a $165,000 payment was made to Parkwood Production Media LLC on November 19, just a month after Harris and Beyoncé appeared together at an event in Houston. Parkwood Entertainment, as it is more commonly known publicly, is Beyoncé's management, production, and record label, established in 2008.

Oprah Winfrey's Involvement

In addition, Harris' campaign paid $1 million to Harpo Productions, Oprah Winfrey's company. Two payments of $500,000 each were made on October 15. Oprah Winfrey addressed this matter in an Instagram video, stating that she did not take any personal fee. However, she emphasized that the people who worked on the production needed to be paid, and they were. This sparked a lot of discussion and raised questions about the nature of these endorsements and their impact on the campaign.

Campaign Denials

The vice president's campaign initially denied providing a fee for celebrity endorsements. Adrienne Elrod, who held the position of senior adviser and senior spokesperson, was quoted as saying to the New York Post that they do not pay and have never paid any artist or performer. This denial only added to the intrigue surrounding the campaign finances and the use of celebrity endorsements.

Criticism and Expenditures

The substantial expenditures by Harris' campaign have drawn significant criticism. It has raised questions about the value and effectiveness of high-profile endorsements and events. Despite her campaign's considerable fundraising success, Kamala Harris ultimately lost the U.S. presidential election to Republican candidate Donald Trump. This loss was a notable defeat, especially considering the financial advantage her campaign had.The report shows that between October 25 and November 25, the Harris campaign raised $160 million but spent $277 million. In comparison, the Trump campaign raised $87 million and spent $113 million during the same period. Both campaigns allocated a large portion of their expenditures to media purchases, such as television, online ads, and ad production, aiming to reach as many voters as possible in the final days of the election.However, federal filings from the Democratic nominee's campaign reveal additional expenses. These expenses are likely to spark post-election analysis of how Harris' campaign spent over $1 billion but still lost to Trump. It will be interesting to see how these details are analyzed and what lessons can be learned from this campaign.

English

Oprah Winfrey's Involvement

Campaign Denials

Criticism and Expenditures