Kimberly Guilfoyle, the ex-Fox News personality who is now Donald Trump Jr’s girlfriend, was quite adamant about making sure she received a $60,000 speaking fee for her role at the White House rally that preceded the January 6 Capitol attack, newly-released transcripts show.
The House select committee investigating the insurrection on Tuesday released several transcripts - including one of a deposition by GOP fundraiser and organiser Caroline Wren.
In her deposition, Ms Wren was asked about emails in which Ms Guilfoyle made repeated enquiries about the speaking fee, both in the days before the rally and following the rally, at the same time police officers and national guard soldiers were clearing pro-Trump rioters from the US Capitol.
The emails were dated 2 January and 6 January 2020, with those on the latter day being sent at 10.54 am — before the rally — and after the rally, at 4.17pm.
Ms Wren told the panel she believed Ms Guilfoyle had actually sent that last email the previous day, and suggested that it was delayed because of the lack of wi-fi on her plane and the large number of people overwhelming mobile phone networks at the Ellipse on the day of the attack.
The $60,000 fee was paid to her by Turning Point Action, a political affiliate of a right-wing group that targets high school and college students, Turning Point USA. Both organisations are run by activist Charlie Kirk, who is known to be a strong supporter of former president Donald Trump and a close friend of his eldest son and namesake.
In June, select committee member Zoe Lofgren, a California Democrat, told CNN she didn’t believe Ms Guilfoyle committed a crime by accepting the speaking fee, but called the ex-Fox personality’s acceptance of a financial benefit for her role “a grift”.
