Many have said that Trump values loyalty and that he does not hesitate to reward supporters and punish those who oppose him. On Monday, Arizona Republican Attorney General and Senate candidate Mark Brnovich felt the sting of Trump’s long memory when attorneys representing the former president issued a “cease-and-desist” letter to the Senate hopeful.
According to The Washington Post, Brnovich was reportedly ordered to stop using Trump’s “name, image, and/or likeness” in campaign “fundraising appeals.”
Trump and Brnovich had a fallout following the 2020 election when Attorney General Brnovich said he saw “no evidence” of election fraud and that “there are no facts that would lead anyone to believe that the election results will change.”
Arizona was ground zero for election irregularities in the 2020 election.
Trump withdrew support of the rising star, calling Brnovich a “disappointment.” When announcing his endorsement of Blake Masters, Trump noted that Brnovich “understands what took place…that the 2020 Presidential Election…was Rigged and Stolen”
Trump formally endorsed Republican Blake Masters in early June. However, the Daily Caller notes that Brnovich continues using Trump’s photograph in fundraising efforts.
A Federal Election Commission report shows Brnovich raised more than $2.5 million.
In a move reported by the Washington Post on Monday, Trump’s attorneys rebuked Brnovich saying: “Your use of President Trump’s name, image, and/or likeness is likely to deceive individuals into believing President Trump supports, endorses, or otherwise promotes your candidacy for U.S. Senate in Arizona — he does not.”
Trump maintains his endorsements are very valuable, declaring, “My endorsement means more than any endorsement that has ever been given by anybody.” Accordingly, Trump is trying to rein in the unauthorized use of his name and photo in fundraising appeals.
In March 2021, the former president sent a similar cease-and-desist letter to the Republican National Committee, charging that the group did not have permission to use his name, image, and likeness for fundraising purposes.
The Daily Caller reports the RNC has ignored Trump’s request, arguing that “Trump is a public figure and that the organization may “refer to public figures as it engages in core, First Amendment-protected political speech.”
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