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After Friday’s release of a 2005 tape which shows Donald Trump making vulgar comments about women, rumors are swirling regarding the existence of more damaging videos of the GOP nominee.
A GoFundMe page called the Trump Sunlight Campaign was established on Sunday to motivate anyone who may be in possession of more tapes to release them.
Here’s what you need to know about the campaign:
1. Aaron Holman Founded the Campaign
Yes! Bring the truth to light! Sign the petition & support the whistle blowers #releasethetapes #trumptapes t.co/QQNbfRUoh2 t.co/01NCMMG5yz
In an effort to persuade those who may have detrimental footage of Trump, Aaron Holman established the GoFundMe page.
The 34-year-old consultant told NBC the campaign is two-fold: to raise money for a “legal defense fund,” and to let anyone who is holding footage that they are supported.
“A group of friends and I came up with this because we want to prove to people that there are thousands of us who want this information out, and that to say very purposefully, we support you, and we want to do what we can to help bring this information into the light,” he told NBC News.
According to the GoFundMe page, the campaign “hopes to raise the funds to pay those penalties and reward the whistleblower responsible with whatever remains to assist them as they move forward in their career.”
Holman told NBC he also hopes the government will introduce policies to protect someone who is privy to information that they feel goes against the public interest.
“If some [program] were to come out that is directionally similar to those [enforced for big banks], that would drastically change the course of the country,” said Holman. “It’s not okay that someone with such information can’t feel safe coming forward; that an NDA [precludes] that right.”
2. The Campaign Has a Goal of $5 Million
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The campaign’s GoFundMe page was created with a goal of $5 million. The amount is reportedly how much the Trump organizations would sue those who break non-disclosure agreements.
As of Tuesday evening, the campaign had raised $30,458 from over 1,000 people.
Producer Chris Nee claimed on Twitter that, according to producers who worked on The Apprentice, footage exists of Trump using the N-word.
Nee explained on Twitter that legal fees were the main reason why the behind-the-scenes footage from the NBC show hadn’t been revealed. Nee noted that there is a $5 million penalty fee for leaking the footage.
3. There Are Reports That Other Damaging Tapes of Trump Exist
As a producer on seasons 1 & 2 of #theapprentice I assure you: when it comes to the #trumptapes there are far worse. #justthebegininng
A former “Apprentice” producer alleged Saturday night that there are “far worse” videos of Trump from his time on the reality TV show.
Bill Pruitt claimed the release of the tape from 2005 was “just the beginning.”
Considering Trump filmed 14 seasons as the star of NBC’s “The Apprentice,” there is presumably a lot of unaired footage that exists. Although it remains to be seen what the footage contains, and if it will be released, a recent Associated Press report offered an account of what could be out there.
The AP reported Monday that during Trump’s years hosting “The Apprentice,” he repeatedly demeaned women with sexual comments. The investigation included interviews with more than 20 former crew members, editors, and contestants.
One former crew member told the AP that Trump would make lewd and inappropriate comments about women when there were “10 or 12 cameras rolling and getting that footage, which is why everybody was like, this guy just doesn’t care.”
Another unidentified crew member told the news outlet:
We were in the boardroom one time, figuring out who to blame for the task, and [Trump] just stopped in the middle and pointed to someone and said, ‘You’d f–k her, wouldn’t you? I’d f–k her. C’mon, wouldn’t you?’ Everyone [was] trying to make him stop talking, and the woman [was] shrinking in her seat.
4. Mark Burnett Said He Does Not Have the Legal Power to Release the Footage
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There is increasing pressure on The Apprentice producer and MGM president Mark Burnett to release footage from the archives.
According to BuzzFeed, a source close to Burnett says the producer has threatened staff members who have access to the tapes.
Burnett broke his silence on the issue on Monday when he released a statement that says he “does not have the ability nor the right” to release more possible Trump tapes.
“MGM owns Mark Burnett’s production company and The Apprentice is one of its properties,” Burnett and MGM said in a joint statement. “Despite reports to the contrary, Mark Burnett does not have the ability nor the right to release footage or other material from The Apprentice. Various contractual and legal requirements also restrict MGM’s ability to release such material.”
The statement also refuted claims that Burnett has threatened people with litigation if they were to leak such material.
5. Media Outlets Are Seeking the Footage
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“Access Hollywood” has reportedly searched through archives of past interviews with Trump to find footage similar to the 2005 tape.
The Huffington Post reports that Trump has done more than 100 interviews with “Access Hollywood,” however they haven’t found any similar footage.
“We have combed through every interview we have done with Mr. Trump over the past 20 years and at this time, we have not uncovered any other footage that rises to this level,” a spokesperson told the news site.
Multiple media outlets are in pursuit of the footage, including NBC, which aired The Apprentice.
A network spokeswoman told Politico Saturday it does not have access to the much sought-after footage.
“We don’t own the footage. We’re pursuing it along with every other news organization reporting on this story,” the NBC spokeswoman said.
Although more incriminating videos have not yet surfaced, The Huffington Post published a transcript of one of Trump’s unaired moments while filming The Apprentice.
According to their report, the incident occurred on an episode from 2010 where contestants were “tasked with making over a country music star before presenting them to three music industry insiders.”
The Huffington Post detailed the unaired moment, which involved country artist Emily West:
During the boardroom session that decided which team did the better job transforming its artist, Trump turned the conversation sharply ― and at times, uncomfortably ― to West’s physical appearance, specifically her skin.
“I assume you’re gonna leave this off, don’t put this shit on the show, you know. But her skin, her skin sucks, okay?” he says, according to the transcript. “I mean her skin, she needs some serious f–kin’ dermatology.”
Trump continued to criticize West’s skin.
“That’s Emily, that’s what I’m hearing about? Let me see the other one. I assume you’re not putting this on the show. ‘Cause I don’t wanna destroy the kid’s career.”
Although the comments are not comparable to the ones from the 2005 tape, they do show Trump’s focus on women’s looks.