Trump family business profits from pandemic amid reelection bid

"There's two big legal restrictions on candidates spending campaign money at their own businesses. The basic rule is, they can't pay too much and they can't pay too little," said Adav Noti from the Campaign Legal Center. "If the campaign buys a service or goods from the candidate's business and it underpays for them, then the business is essentially subsidizing the campaign and that's an illegal corporate contribution and now that would be a very serious violation. On the other hand, the campaign can't pay too much because then the money is going into the candidate's pocket directly or indirectly." Campaign Legal Center experts said in theory the campaign could be asked by the Federal Election Commission to prove that it didn't pay too much or it didn't pay too little for anything, noting there are other vendors who could provide the same services without the hassle. "Usually, candidates don't bother," said Noti. "But this particular candidate has been intentionally profiting off his campaign spending as long as he's been a candidate, so not only is it not a concern to him but it's something he seems to be doing intentionally to make money."

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