Donald Trump and Sen. Bernie Sanders have found common ground, with both campaigns refusing to pay for police protection the candidates received at the Tucson Convention Center during stops here earlier this year.
An attorney for the Trump campaign rejected at a letter from the city demanding it pay an $81,837 bill for police services. They argued the contract with the TCC never mentioned additional costs related to security.
βThat summary lists a rental fee of just over $7,000 and says nothing about a potential police fee that is over 11 times as much as the listed rental price,β wrote Donald F. McGahn, an attorney for the Trump campaign.
Additionally, McGahn said the Secret Service independently contracted with the Tucson Police Department to assist in its security detail, and the city should discuss the bill with the Secret Service.
Roughly 180 Tucson police officers worked security at the Trump rally in March, which was marked by several protests and disruptions. It attracted about 5,000 people.
A lawyer representing Sanders rebuffed a similar demand for $44,013, saying the campaign never asked for police protection and suggested the city should bill the Secret Service.
βThe U.S. Secret Service typically made arrangements for all security matters with regard to Senator Sanders during his presidential campaign,β wrote Brad Deutsch, a lawyer for Bernie 2016.
Tucson police assigned 76 officers to a rally for Sanders at the TCC. Crowd estimates suggest about 7,000 people were at the event.
While the city has the legal authority to sue to get reimbursed, City Attorney Mike Rankin has said previously that is up to the City Council to decide.
