Citing the Federal Election Commission and data obtained by Open Secrets, the latter's records indicate that the DNC spent a combined total of $570,000 in both January and February 2018 and another $135,000 for March 2018. The DCCC has issued four payments between December 2017 and February 2018 that add up to roughly $710,000.
Xochitl Hinojosa, a spokesperson for the DNC, told The Intercept that the DNC's full $1.65 million would be paid off by October 2018.
"This direct investment and in-kind contribution has helped the DNC raise a total of over $30 million via grassroots donation channels since obtaining these lists, which means this investment has more than covered the cost of the lists," Hinojosa told the publication.
Clinton spokesperson Nick Merrill explained to Fox News that "paying a rental fee for use of an email list is common practice," and that the DNC has already seen a "1,800 percent return on their investment."
"Putting the DNC on a strong footing is something that Secretary Clinton was very focused on during the campaign," Merrill said. "She was the first presidential candidate in decades to leave the DNC in the black after a presidential [election] cycle. The campaign turned over an unprecedented amount of campaign data and resources."
It was first announced in April 2017 that the Clinton campaign would be handing over its data to the DNC as a way to strengthen the Democratic party ahead of the 2018 midterm elections and the 2020 presidential election. However, there wasn't any mention at the time that the Clinton would be expecting a more than just a few benjamins to come her way.
This report comes as the DNC is falling behind in the fundraising department for the 2018 midterm election cycle. According to Open Secrets, the Republican National Committee has raised roughly $171.5 million, while the DNC has collected some $88 million.
