Much to the surprise of Wilkes-Barre Twp. Police Chief Will Clark, former President Donald Trump’s political action committee “Save America,” paid extra police and public works overtime for a September rally at the Mohegan Sun Arena.
Save America PAC issued a refund to the Township after Clark sent in a bill for $9,820.62. As Clark understands, his department is the only local agency in the country to be reimbursed for extra security costs for Trump rallies this year.
“When Trump was here in 2018, I submitted bills over $22,000 and I wasn’t expecting a refund just because I didn’t receive the payment,” Clark said.
In 2018, Trump campaigned for the unsuccessful U.S. Senate election of Rep. Lou Valletta. Trump was the incumbent president at the time.
“I never sent it to the White House. You can’t charge it to the Secret Service. You can’t charge it to the President of the United States,” Clark said.
Clark said a bill sent to President Inc.’s Donald J. Trump, the Republican National Committee, and Senator Lou Barreta in 2018 was ignored.
Clark said the agency was not reimbursed when President George W. Bush campaigned in the arena for re-election in 2004.
The Trump campaign paid for security in two campaigns in 2016. Records show he made $4,700 for the April event and $10,683 for the October event.
A recent Business Insider article reported on Wilkes-Barre Twp. The September rally was the only rally in 2022 that the Trump PAC has issued a refund for safety.
PAC’s campaign finance report states that the funds were disbursed on Sept. 29.
Clarke told Business Insider that he was “shocked” that Trump’s PAC paid the bill.
Clark said he believes the PAC may think some departments have gone too far to protect the former president. I tried to ask the PAC for details etc but he said most likely they thought the PAC was unnecessary.
September Rally, Wilkes-Barre Twp. $2,690.13 for 54.5 hours of police overtime, $1,033.66 for 24 hours of DPW overtime, and $6.096.83 for 165 hours of overtime by the Lucerne County Sheriff’s Deputy. $ was charged. The township has collected the county’s secondary repayments, Clark said.
“We got a full refund. Every penny the township owed was covered,” Clark said. “We were lucky.”
The Mohegan Sun Arena has paid for all four Trump rallies since 2016, said Will Beekman, general manager of the arena.
“The fees associated with all venue rentals are primarily based on time and materials, and these costs vary according to the size and needs of individual events,” said Beekman. “All fees associated with the rally hosted by Donald Trump at our venue have been paid in full.”
https://www.indianagazette.com/news/state/wilkes-barre-twp-police-surprised-trump-pac-paid-bill-for-extra-security-at-arena-rally/article_f549b49d-0a46-5636-ad00-d97c7bbb440d.html Wilkes-Barre Twp. Police were surprised Trump PAC paid an extra security bill at an arena rally.state