Republican Rep. Chris Collins defended Donald Trump against “pay to play” accusations Wednesday, saying it’s Hillary Clinton who always wants handouts from donors.
“Donald Trump has always been a donor. Hillary Clinton has always been someone with her hand out as she puts the Clinton family first and continues to do so,” Collins, a Trump supporter, told CNN’s Alisyn Camerota on “New Day.” “She has been on the receiving end of donations.”
The Trump Foundation agreed last Thursday to pay a $2,500 fine to the IRS for a $25,000 donation the nonprofit previously made to Pam Bondi’s campaign for attorney general in Florida. The donation came just days after Bondi’s office announced that it would look into allegations against Trump University. Following the donation, the office did not open an investigation.
But Collins said he doesn’t think voters are concerned about Trump’s history of political giving.
“I frankly don’t think America cares too much on an individual giving his money as much as they do about somebody who has got their hands out shaking down donors and then being subject to the, you know, demands of those same donors. I think it is very different,” the New York lawmaker said.
Trump has simply participated in the political game the way it is set up, Collins said.
“Donald Trump has been on the donating side. You make donations to get the ear of somebody that you would like to speak with. That’s part of what goes on in politics. It is the dirty side of politics. Clinton has been on the receiving end,” he said.
