Veep Kamala Harris conceded to President-elect Donald Trump last week, but that hasn’t stopped her from trying to beef up her “recount account’’ — apparently to pay off other election expenses.
The failed Democratic presidential hopeful is asking for cash for the account through the fundraising platform ActBlue as vendors worry her campaign won’t pay them for services already rendered.
The campaign only revealed that the hat-in-hand push is partly to collect dough for down-ballot Democrats — but the money can be used to pay off election-related expenses, too.
There is no indication Harris, who conceded the presidential election to Trump on Wednesday, is seeking a recount for herself.
“With a handful of key Senate and House races still too close to call, we are keeping our organizers and volunteers on the ground in those states to see the election across the finish line,” the campaign’s website says.
“If you are able, please donate to the Harris Fight Fund today to ensure we have the resources to elect Democrats down the ticket ready to hold the Trump administration accountable.”
Tom Moore, a former Federal Election Commission lawyer and senior fellow at the Center for American Progress, told The Post on Monday that there was “a great reason” to fund-raise in this manner.
“The funds can be used to pay recount and election contest expenses resulting from the general election,’’ Moore said. “There’s nothing unusual or untoward about doing this.’’
The Harris camp’s push for the funding comes as some vendors are frantic that the campaign won’t pay them for their work — including involving star-studded concerts in critical swing states.
It was reported last week that the Democratic nominee’s extremely well-funded team is now $20 million in debt.
Only incumbent Pennsylvania Democratic Sen. Bob Casey has officially launched a recount in his bid to overturn Republican challenger Dave McCormick’s projected victory.
That race was called Thursday by The Associated Press, as well as major TV networks, two days after Harris’ landslide loss to Trump.
But Casey’s team is holding out hope that outstanding provisional votes from members of the US military and others in deep-blue Philadelphia will overcome McCormick’s 36,000-vote advantage.
The three-term senator’s campaign is still blasting out fundraising emails and claiming that the “race is not over.”
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) took the unusual step of not inviting McCormick — or apparent Democratic victor Ruben Gallego in Arizona’s Senate race — to Washington, DC, for orientation session in the upper chamber this week.
National Republican Senatorial Committee spokesman Philip Letsou blasted the move.
“Bob Casey and Chuck Schumer are actively undermining faith in American democracy by refusing to admit the obvious reality — Dave McCormick beat Casey fair and square,” Letsou said.
“Instead of wasting millions of Pennsylvania taxpayer dollars on a doomed recount, Bob Casey must concede and Schumer must allow McCormick to attend Senate orientation.”
Senators of both parties also denounced the maneuver.
“Senator-elect @DaveMcCormickPA should obviously be invited to attend freshman senator orientation,” said outgoing Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) on X. “The race has been called and he should be able to join his colleagues.”
Fellow retiring Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.) wrote on the site Sunday, “In 2018 my race wasn’t called for 6 days.
“I jumped on a redeye to DC to make senate orientation – I learned so much & made lasting relationships that week,’’ she said. “Dave McCormick & Ruben Gallego will be Senators for PA & AZ. They should be invited to orientation & start learning the job.”
Neither Harris campaign reps nor an ActBlue spokesperson immediately responded to Post requests for comment Monday.
