OPINION | This article contains commentary that reflects the author's opinion.
President Trump is reportedly being charged a hefty $530,000 security fee by Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey for a scheduled Keep America Great rally at the Target Center.
The Washington Times reports that in an email to supporters, the Trump campaign called Frey “radical” and accused him of “abusing the power of his office” with a “phony and outlandish bill for security” as “an effort to block” the president from speaking.
The email continued:
Frey’s city government preemptively informed the Target Center that it would be responsible for $530,000 in security and other costs related to the event. The Target Center attempted to pass the costs on to the Trump campaign under threat of withholding the use of the arena.
The Trump campaign informed the Target Center that the U.S. Secret Service is solely responsible for coordinating security and that withholding the use of the arena would be viewed as a breach of contract and result in court action. Additionally, the ridiculous sum of $530,000 is more than 26 times the estimated security costs for a 2009 Target Center health care rally held by President Barack Obama. Police officials estimated that the costs then were around $20,000. Again, the costs are a matter between the city and the Secret Service.
Trump Campaign Manager Brad Parscale called the fee an “outrageous abuse of power” and said Frey was denying “the rights of his own city’s residents just because he hates the President,” the Washington Times reports.
“People want to hear from their President, and no mayor looking to beef up his resume for a run for higher office should stand in the way,” he continued.
Trump campaign Communications Director Tim Murtaugh similarly tweeted about the “Leftist mayor of Minneapolis” and said he “hates President Trump so much he wants to stop his own citizens from seeing their president.”
He added: “Made up phony $530K bill for rally security. Obama’s tab was only $20K.”
Leftist mayor of Minneapolis @Jacob_Frey hates President Trump so much he wants to stop his own citizens from seeing their president.
Made up phony $530K bill for rally security. Obama’s tab was only $20K.
Needs to deal with Secret Service.
Lefty bias!https://t.co/oK2Za97KLp
— Tim Murtaugh (@TimMurtaugh) October 8, 2019
Trump came within 1.5 points of winning the state of Minnesota in 2016, which voted to give Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton its 10 electoral votes.
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