Trump helps Chris Christie pay off his campaign debt
JILL COLVIN, Associated Press
MICHAEL CATALINI, Associated Press

LAWRENCEVILLE, N.J. (AP) — Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee for president, delivered a thank-you gift Thursday to the man who arguably risked the most to endorse him: New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie.

Trump held a fundraiser that he claimed would pay off the entirety of Christie's debt from his presidential campaign.

The fundraiser, held at the National Guard Armory in Lawrenceville, New jersey, had all the trappings of a typical Donald Trump rally: big flags, barricades to corral the press, a soundtrack filled with Elton John and the Rolling Stones. The only thing missing was Trump's usual overflow crowd.

Christie, flanked by his wife and three of his four children, said he hoped the state's June 7 primary would provide the votes and delegates to put Trump "officially over the top as the Republican nominee for president of the United States."

Christie noted the two had once been rivals, and but said he'd decided to endorse the business mogul because of their personal friendship. He said he told his wife: "We never ever make a mistake by standing with your friend. And Donald Trump is my friend."

Christie ended his presidential bid after a disappointing showing in New Hampshire and became one of Trump's highest-profile backers with a surprise endorsement in February.

Trump took the stage after Christie and announced that the event — a $200-per-head fundraiser that attracted about 1,000 people — had retired the bulk of Christie's roughly $250,000 presidential campaign debt.

"You know, Chris paid off his entire campaign debt tonight, right? His entire debt," said Trump.

"And Chris, you can't even give him a table and a seat? That's terrible," he joked. Trump turned his head back as if to acknowledge Christie, but the governor — who was mercilessly mocked once for his expression while standing behind Trump — had already left the stage.

Trump delivered his usual stump speech, with some local flourishes thrown in. While Trump usually reads off negative statistics on the economy of the place he's visiting, his stats Thursday sounded like Christie talking points, touting the state's economic improvements.

He also recounted a debate in which Christie had put Florida Sen. Marco Rubio in his place. "He looked like Perry Mason that evening," Trump recalled.

At one point, though, Trump made a joke that appeared to be at Christie's expense when he noted that he is boycotting Nabisco for offshoring jobs.

"I'm not eating Oreos anymore. Neither is Chris. You're not eating Oreos, are you? It's for either of us," he said, drawing loud laughs from the crowd.

Trump also noted the crash of an EgyptAir jet in the Mediterranean Sea early Thursday: "What just happened about 12 hours ago? A plane got blown out of the sky. And if anybody thinks it wasn't blown out of the sky, you're 100 percent wrong."

Egyptian and Russian officials have said the plane may have been brought down by terrorists, but an investigation is only just beginning, with no cause yet identified.

The event also included a $25,000-per-person fundraiser for the state GOP to help it pay off about $500,000 incurred in legal fees responding to legislative subpoenas in the 2013 George Washington Bridge scandal. State party officials said they didn't immediately have a tally of how much either event had raised.

Earlier Thursday, Trump's campaign announced the promotion of senior campaign aide Paul Manafort.

Manafort, who was brought on by Trump at the end of March to serve as convention manager, will now hold the title of campaign chairman and chief strategist, spokeswoman Hope Hicks confirmed Thursday.


-- (c) Associated Press 2016-05-20

Probably cheaper than picking up lunch

"a soundtrack filled with Elton John and the Rolling Stones." I thought the Stones told him to stop using their music.... hmmm

Trump's supporters seem to be the ones that paid off the debt not Trump. Suppose he could continue to "loan" himself money for campaign, to be paid back by various contributors.... so much for self funding

Todays Trump media story to keep him in the headlines. Got to hand it to him, he has a great media team. Clinton doesn't seem to grasp the whole circus thing at all

Todays Trump media story to keep him in the headlines. Got to hand it to him, he has a great media team. Clinton doesn't seem to grasp the whole circus thing at all

In six months, everyone will be exhausted by the circus and especially the low-info clown.

Vote buying Trump style....

Christie will now be indebted to Trump for the rest of his life. Buying Christie may haunt him though later.

My 5 cents: wrong move.

Who would pay $ 25.000 for a fundraiser in this case? It is buying people. Wrong move.

Todays Trump media story to keep him in the headlines. Got to hand it to him, he has a great media team. Clinton doesn't seem to grasp the whole circus thing at all

Oh, Clinton fully "grasp the whole circus thing." She is a 3 ring circus.

"a soundtrack filled with Elton John and the Rolling Stones." I thought the Stones told him to stop using their music.... hmmm

Trump's supporters seem to be the ones that paid off the debt not Trump. Suppose he could continue to "loan" himself money for campaign, to be paid back by various contributors.... so much for self funding

Ditto from Elton John as well:

“I don’t really want my music to be involved in anything to do with an American election campaign .... I’m British. I’ve met Donald Trump, he was very nice to me, it’s nothing personal, “

Todays Trump media story to keep him in the headlines. Got to hand it to him, he has a great media team. Clinton doesn't seem to grasp the whole circus thing at all

That's why she recently named Bill as the new RingMaster. He was good at distraction once.

"a soundtrack filled with Elton John and the Rolling Stones." I thought the Stones told him to stop using their music.... hmmm

Trump's supporters seem to be the ones that paid off the debt not Trump. Suppose he could continue to "loan" himself money for campaign, to be paid back by various contributors.... so much for self funding

The Stones and poor Sir Elton don't own their music anymore. Also, reread the title, it never said Trump paid off the debt. It said Trump helps pay off the debt.

"a soundtrack filled with Elton John and the Rolling Stones." I thought the Stones told him to stop using their music.... hmmm

Trump's supporters seem to be the ones that paid off the debt not Trump. Suppose he could continue to "loan" himself money for campaign, to be paid back by various contributors.... so much for self funding

The Stones and poor Sir Elton don't own their music anymore. Also, reread the title, it never said Trump paid off the debt. It said Trump helps pay off the debt.

Keep cheering. No matter what he says, keep cheering. I love him because he tells me I do. If I didn't he tells me I will. He is salvation. God bless Donald. God loves him because Donald tells me so.

For a second there I thought Trump had put his hand in his pocket and pulled out his wallet. Seems he just pulled out a publicity stunt and organised a bunch of people wanting to ingratiate themselves to perceived power.

For a second there I thought Trump had put his hand in his pocket and pulled out his wallet. Seems he just pulled out a publicity stunt and organised a bunch of people wanting to ingratiate themselves to perceived power.

You are obviously ignorant. Donald is different, he tells me he is. He is not beholden to money men. He is financing (not paying) for his campaign. He hates hedge fund managers who get away with murder on their tax. They probably do. How much tax does Donald pay? Being audited so cannot say. Probably nothing as he can take advantage of tax wright offs. The wall? Nice album by Pink Floyd but under Donald a reality? 4 billion $ he said, ridiculed experts who touted 10 billion $. Believe Donald is up to 12 billion $ now. Vote him in, please please please. It will be the greatest show on earth before I die. (Will have to download off Pirate Bay).

Donald is different, he tells me he is. He is not beholden to money men. He is financing (not paying) for his campaign. He hates hedge fund managers who get away with murder on their tax. They probably do. How much tax does Donald pay? Being audited so cannot say. Probably nothing as he can take advantage of tax wright offs.

You win today's Internet Prize. The last time he made a tax return public, he paid zero dollars and zero cents:

The disclosure, in a 1981 report by New Jersey gambling regulators, revealed that the wealthy Manhattan investor had for at least two years in the late 1970s taken advantage of a tax-code provision popular with developers that allowed him to report negative income.

Today, as the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, Trump regularly denounces corporate executives for using loopholes and “false deductions to “get away with murder” when it comes to avoiding taxes.

“They make a fortune. They pay no tax,” Trump said last year on CBS. “It’s ridiculous, okay?”

Edited May 21, 201610 yr by attrayant