A report claims that the cost of the Oprah town hall for Kamala Harris' campaign was significantly higher than initially stated.

Democrats reportedly faced a $20 million debt after spending $1.6 billion on Harris' campaign.

A report claims that the cost of the Oprah town hall for Kamala Harris' campaign was significantly higher than initially stated.
A report claims that the cost of the Oprah town hall for Kamala Harris' campaign was significantly higher than initially stated.

A recent report disclosed that the Vice President Kamala Harris' presidential campaign spent more than twice the previously reported amount on the Oprah Winfrey town hall event.

The Washington Examiner first reported that the Harris campaign made two $500,000 payments to Harpo Productions on Oct. 15, a month after Winfrey's town hall with Harris and weeks before the pair appeared at a Harris Philadelphia rally. Now, two sources have informed The New York Times that the full cost of the event with Winfrey was closer to $2.5 million.

During her 15-week presidential run, Harris' campaign spent $1.5 billion, or $100 million per week, according to the Times. Despite the failed campaign, Democrat donors are still being bombarded with requests, and the Democratic Party is reportedly $20 million in debt.

Nearly $9,000 in ice cream from high-end shops like Sweet Lucy's Ice Cream and Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams was part of the reported spending.

Kamala Harris shaking Oprah's hand
VP Kamala Harris (L) joins Oprah Winfrey at a 'Unite for America' live streaming rally in Farmington Hills, Michigan, on September 19, 2024. (SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images)

According to the Times, Harris' campaign spent nearly $15,000 on food delivery services like Uber Eats and DoorDash from July until the election in early November.

Oprah Winfrey hugs Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris
Oprah Winfrey hugs Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris during a campaign rally in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on November 4, 2024.  (REUTERS/Rachel Wisniewski)

In October, Harris' campaign allegedly spent $2.6 million on travel using private jets over a two-week period.

Although she lost Nevada by three points, the campaign spent $900,000 to reserve ad space on Las Vegas' Sphere in the final week of the election.

Reportedly, most of the extravagant spending was used for celebrity appearances, performances, and influencer collaborations to increase campaign events.

When confronted by TMZ, Winfrey, a billionaire, claimed she was "paid nothing."

Kamala Harris with Oprah
Oprah Winfrey (L) holds up VP Kamala Harris' hand as she arrives onstage during a campaign rally on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway in Philadelphia, on November 4, 2024. (ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images)

A spokesperson for Harpo Productions admitted to Variety that the company received funds from the campaign, stating that it was used for "production expenses."

According to the spokesperson, Oprah Winfrey did not pay a personal fee during the campaign and did not receive a fee from Harpo.

The Harris campaign did not respond to Planet Chronicle Digital's request for comment.

Planet Chronicle Digital's Jeffrey Clark contributed to this report.

Stepheny Price is a writer for Planet Chronicle Digital and Fox Business. If you have story tips or ideas, you can send them to [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]).

by Stepheny Price

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