Donations Will Continue Until Morale Improves: Harris “Zombie Campaign” Doesn’t Know When To Stop

The 2024 presidential campaign has long been over. That means the Democratic donors who squandered billions can finally stop cutting checks to their unelectable candidate, right? Wrong.

It’s not just wrong, it’s BIGLY wrong. As Politico reported over the weekend, “[t]he ‘victory’ part didn’t pan out for the Harris Victory Fund. But the funding part remains alive and well on the bank statements of some Democratic donors.”

The joint-fundraising committee established by swampy intercourse between the DNC and Harris campaign is still “charging monthly recurring donors to the committee.” Sure, a little bit of a funding hangover is to be expected. These donors are in it for the long haul; they’re not going to dip as soon as a given candidate loses. Honor dictates they continue to cover the tab even after the music stops, for as every businessperson knows, unexpected or delayed expenses always eventually roll in. It’s an investment in the next cycle.

Some charges were inevitable in post-election November. Hell, Harris infamously overspent her already ludicrously large war chest by $20 million, so donors could reasonably be expected to pick up the tab through the new year. But it’s now over two months out from the election, we’re halfway through January — and the campaign is still fleecing its overly patient donors. According to Politico, some of them are starting to get pissed.

“It’s silly, out of touch, and needlessly takes advantage of our most loyal supporters,” one Democratic operative who shared screenshots of their donations told Politico.

This operative was fine with the “wrap-up” expenses in December but bristled in the new year. Expecting to be done with the commitment, they were then charged without giving “explicit approval to continue the donations.” All they received in return was a generic email that read: “Thank you for your generous monthly commitment,” and that the donations will continue “until you contact us.”

Cheer up, Mr. Donor: the donations will continue until morale improves.

Politico zoomed out to the larger problem of online fundraising, unsurprisingly laying the original sin of this “zombie fundraising” at the feet of the Trump campaign. In 2020, the campaign “raised gobs of cash in part by making it increasingly difficult for donors to see that they were signing up for monthly automatic donations, including hiding it in pre-checked boxes buried in the fine print.” About $64 million was eventually refunded. (RELATED:Here’s The Clearest Sign Yet That The Real Red Wave Is About To Hit)

In the shallow attempt at a hit, the outlet does raise a valid concern. Shady fundraising is a permanent problem in the swamp, whether virtual or not, Republican or Democrat. While disgruntled Trump supporters got refunded, does anyone expect the Harris campaign to respond in kind?

The larger issue is a permanent problem of money: it’s fungible. When dollars pour in virtually, possibly without the donor’s knowledge, it’s easier to funnel that cash to other projects, and the Harris Victory Plans to do just that.

“Those HVF donations are going to help Democrats across the country as we rebuild the party,” one committee official told Politico, clarifying that donors could choose to cancel if they wish.

This feels like less of a moral dilemma for big-dollar donors. A million here or there is no big deal, and they necessarily support the broader infrastructure of the party’s long-term development. Yet small-dollar donors are not only making difficult choices about how to spend their limited resources, but are more likely to donate based on a discrete issue or event. It’s not a good look for the Democratic Party to then turn around and spend that voter’s money on something they have no interest in funding.

Sure, let’s play the world’s tiniest violins for the Democrats’ most brainwashed acolytes. But it’s still not right that the generally well-meaning, pro-America Democrat hypnotized by corporate media into thinking Trump is Literally Hitler should then have his money spent on intercity transgender advocacy, or whatever other nonsense the Harris Victory Fund is likely to cook up.

So while this is a bipartisan issue, it’s spiritually far more within the Democrats’ domain. It’s the ideological liberal who sees individuals as disposable cogs: to slave away in corporate meetings; subordinate their individual interests to the “less fortunate;” zealously support the cause du jour that reinforces the party’s power; and callously throw away the moment they bristle or become a liability.

Zombie fundraising is a perfect fit for the Democratic ethos. They don’t care about their voters and donors, they care about propping up a system that keeps them in power. I’d be surprised if the fundraising actually ended in November.