Collins stated, “There’s no evidence that they paid them. I mean, the campaign last year said this wasn’t true when he floated this.”
Yet, she completely ignored FEC records showing payments to production companies owned by Oprah Winfrey, Beyoncé, and Bruce Springsteen for campaign events. Collins shows no interest in investigating these claims herself, instead repeating the Harris campaign’s narrative unquestioningly. This approach underscores why she hosts her own CNN show.
FEC records confirm the following payments:
Oprah Winfrey: The Harris campaign paid Harpo Productions $1 million (in two $500,000 installments on October 15, 2024) for “production costs” for a Unite for America town hall in Detroit on September 19, 2024. Winfrey denied receiving personal payment, stating the funds covered event staff and logistics.
Beyoncé: The Harris campaign paid Parkwood Production Media LLC $165,000 on November 19, 2024, for “campaign event production” following her October 25, 2024, Houston rally appearance. Beyoncé’s team, including her mother, Tina Knowles, denied she received personal payment, asserting she covered her own travel and glam costs.
Bruce Springsteen: The Harris campaign paid Thrill Hill Productions $75,000 on November 19, 2024, for “travel and event production” tied to a rally in Atlanta or Philadelphia. Springsteen has not publicly addressed payment claims.