Kittanning, PA – In a moment that could be right out of a reality show, Donald Trump pulled out his wallet and made headlines by covering part of a mom’s grocery bill at a Pennsylvania store. Sounds heartwarming, right? Well, not so fast.
Now, Democrats want him in jail for ‘buying votes’ and violating the terms of his New York City trial conviction.
The former president was doing a campaign stop at Sprankles Neighborhood Market in Kittanning, Pennsylvania, where he greeted shoppers and even gifted a mother of three $100 towards her groceries. In typical Trump fashion, he added, “We’ll do that for you from the White House, alright?” as he waved goodbye.
And, predictably, this seemingly generous act was met with a full-on political meltdown. Social media and the airwaves lit up with accusations of vote-buying and even calls for federal charges against Trump.
The comments on the Filipkowski votes range from bizarre to weird and creepy.
One user on Twitter summed it up with a tweet that read, “Trump is now handing out cash to voters. Is he now vote-buying?” Meanwhile, legal experts and commentators quickly pointed to 18 U.S. Code § 597, a federal law that makes it illegal to influence voters through financial means. Critics are now accusing Trump of violating federal election laws by paying off a potential voter—right there on camera.
Among the loudest voices is Michael J. Stern, a former federal prosecutor, who didn’t mince words when he tweeted, “Federal law makes it illegal to influence voters by making expenditures to people … Trump’s bond in NY forbids him from committing new crimes.”
It’s the latest in a long line of legal dramas for Trump, who is already facing a cocktail of civil and criminal charges in New York, Georgia, and beyond. And now, the internet—and some Democratic lawmakers—are asking, is this just one more legal problem on his plate?
But while the left is calling for consequences, Trump’s supporters are defending him, claiming it was just a kind gesture—one that’s being blown out of proportion. In their eyes, helping a mom pay for her groceries is hardly the scandal of the century. After all, haven’t other politicians kissed babies, handed out meals, and done photo-op good deeds during their campaigns?
So, where does this leave us? Well, one side sees an illegal act of bribery, while the other just sees Trump being Trump: a businessman, a showman, and—at least for one mom—an unexpected grocery bill hero. Whether this moment will turn into yet another court date for the former president remains to be seen.
Stay tuned, because in the world of Trump, no small gesture goes unnoticed—or unchallenged.
