Harris campaign paid Cardi B and Obama tens of thousands of dollars for campaign appearances: Report

Former Vice President Kamala Harris' presidential campaign last year reportedly paid millions of dollars to celebrities and former President Barack Obama to appear with her at campaign events, according to the Washington Free Beacon. 

Among those allegedly paid was female rapper Cardi B, who previously told conservative pundit Candace Owens that she had not been given a dollar for her appearance. Roughly $60,000 was instead given to her company Washpoppin, Inc. for "campaign event production," according to campaign records reviewed by the Beacon.

The money was allegedly paid to the rapper on Dec. 12, almost a month after the comment was made, but it is not clear what the timeline of the payment agreement was.

Obama was allegedly paid $95,576 for "travel expenses" through his firm Renegade44, LLC. He appeared with the former vice president, who lost to President Donald Trump in November, in Atlanta, Detroit and Pittsburgh.

The former president's appearance in Pittsburgh spurred backlash after he accused black men of not wanting a woman, even a black woman, to be president. 

“We have not yet seen the same kinds of energy and turnout in all quarters of our neighborhoods and communities as we saw when I was running," Obama said at the time. "Now, I also want to say that that seems to be more pronounced with the brothers ... Part of it makes me think that, well, you just aren't feeling the idea of having a woman as president."

The Harris campaign also reportedly paid Oprah Winfrey's production company Harpo $2.5 million to produce a campaign event in Michigan on Sept. 19. Winfrey said the money was not for an endorsement.

The campaign also gave $132,753 to Lady Gaga's company Mermaid Touring, $132,335 to August 8, Inc., the company owned by singer Gracie Abrams, and $98,000 to TGK Touring, the company of R&B star Khalid, the outlet reported.

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.