U.S. News
Former Ocasio-Cortez aide accused of paying himself nearly $140k from political action committee funds
By Jake Beardslee · January 7, 2024
In brief…
- Corbin Trent, a former top aide to Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, formed the No Excuses PAC in 2021.
- Between Feb 2021 and Sept 2023, Trent paid himself nearly $140,000 from the PAC for reported consulting services.
- During the same period, No Excuses only spent $14,831 on its stated mission of eliminating the Senate filibuster.
A recent report reveals accusations that Corbin Trent, a former top aide to Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), has funneled nearly $140,000 in donor funds from his political action committee (PAC) to himself for reported consulting work. This occurred while Trent’s PAC, called No Excuses, spent minimal amounts on its stated mission of eliminating the Senate filibuster.
Trent launched No Excuses in 2021 with the goal of pressuring Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Kirsten Sinema (I-AZ) to support nuking the filibuster. However, Federal Election Commission filings show that between February 2021 and September 2023, Trent paid himself almost $140,000 for communication and management consulting services, Fox News Digital reported. During the same time period, No Excuses only spent $14,831 on radio ad buys targeting Manchin and Sinema. This means Trent paid himself ten times more from his PAC for reported consulting than the PAC spent on its central mission.
Before forming No Excuses, Trent worked as communications director for Ocasio-Cortez and also co-founded Justice Democrats, which helped get her elected.
No Excuses has now pivoted away from the filibuster issue. It is instead focused on persuading President Biden not to run for reelection in 2024. The PAC is soliciting donations for this new effort, but would not disclose to reporters how much it has raised so far. As of its latest filings, No Excuses had just over $1,500 cash on hand.