Campaign aides for Kamala Harris are joining forces with Oprah Winfrey to deny rumors that the Vice President paid millions of dollars to have celebrities endorse her during the 2024 Election.
Earlier this week, the Washington Times published an article that claimed Federal Election Commission records showed Harris paid Oprah's Harpo Productions $1 million. According to the article, the $1 million was part of the $20 million her campaign allegedly spent on media production and celebrity appearances.
Oprah denied the rumors during a conversation with TMZ, and reps for Vice President Harris supported her statement and explained why a payment was sent to Harpo Entertainment and other companies.
"We do not pay. We have never paid any artist and performer," Adrienne Elrod, senior adviser and senior spokesperson for the Harris campaign, told Deadline, before adding that the campaign is required to pay "for any ancillary costs for that performance."
"There are laws that have to be followed that we have followed religiously on this campaign," Elrod added.
Throughout Harris' campaign, celebrities such as Eminem, Beyoncé, Megan Thee Stallion, GloRilla, Cardi B, and more appeared at various events to give their endorsement for the Vice President during her run for president. Oprah doubled down on denying the rumors under an Instagram post where a fan commented that anyone who believes she would accept a payment is foolish.
"I was not paid a dime," Winfrey wrote in response to the fan who supported her claim. "My time and energy was my way of supporting the campaign. For the live-streaming event in September, my production company Harpo was asked to bring in set design, lights, cameras, crew, producers and every other item necessary (including the benches and the chairs we sat on) to put on a live production."
She added, "I did not take any personal fee. However, the people who worked on that production needed to be paid. And where. End of story."
