Oprah Winfrey endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris within the 2024 presidential race. However some social media customers are saying her help got here with a worth.
An Instagram publish stated the Harris marketing campaign spent tens of millions on its celeb endorsements, together with $10 million for Beyoncé and $2.3 million for Lizzo, which we have now discovered no proof to help. (Beyoncé’s publicist informed PolitiFact it was “past ridiculous.”)
This Instagram record added a brand new celeb line merchandise: $5 million to Megan Thee Stallion, $1.8 million to rapper Eminem and $1 million to Oprah.
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The publish conflates Winfrey’s endorsement with a fee to Winfrey’s manufacturing firm for a marketing campaign occasion.
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The Harris marketing campaign paid Winfrey’s manufacturing firm for the price of internet hosting a Sept. 19 “Unite for America” rally at which Winfrey interviewed Harris. However Winfrey stated she didn’t obtain a private charge for the interview.
In a TMZ video, a reporter asks Winfrey whether or not it’s “true that they paid you one million {dollars} for the endorsement for Kamala?” Winfrey responds, “Not true. I used to be paid nothing — ever.”
Marketing campaign finance information from the Federal Election Fee present Harris’ marketing campaign paid Harpo Productions, Winfrey’s manufacturing firm, $1 million for occasion manufacturing on Oct. 15.
A Harpo Productions spokesperson informed Selection in an announcement, “The marketing campaign paid for the manufacturing prices of ‘Unite for America,’ a live-streaming occasion that came about Sept. 19 outdoors Detroit, Mich. Oprah Winfrey was at no level through the marketing campaign paid a private charge, nor did she obtain a charge from Harpo.”
PolitiFact contacted a Winfrey spokesperson in regards to the declare however acquired no speedy response.
Megan Thee Stallion carried out at a July rally for Harris in Atlanta and rapper Eminem spoke supporting Harris in October in Detroit. Neither the artists nor their manufacturing corporations had been listed in Harris’ marketing campaign finance information.
The assertion has a component of reality — the Harris marketing campaign paid Oprah’s firm $1 million for internet hosting an occasion. However the declare ignores important information that may give a unique impression. Oprah stated she was not paid for endorsing Harris. There are not any federal information displaying marketing campaign funds to Eminem or Megan Thee Stallion. We charge this declare Principally False.
