In a new revelation, LeBron James claimed his endorsement of Kamala Harris was about securing a better future for his kids. Still, reports now reveal he was paid for the post, raising serious questions about the authenticity of celebrity political endorsements. While he portrayed his support as personal and heartfelt, the financial arrangement behind it suggests his campaign message may have been more transactional than principled, reinforcing skepticism about Hollywood's influence on American politics.
According to newly released campaign finance records, Kamala Harris’s campaign paid LeBron James’ production company, SpringHill Entertainment LLC, $50,000 on January 28, 2025, just after his viral endorsement post. The payment, labeled “campaign event production,” was part of Harris’s disastrous $1.5 billion presidential bid.
“When I think about my kids and my family and how they will grow up, the choice is clear to me. VOTE KAMALA HARRIS!” James’ post read, featuring a video that featured negative headlines about President Donald Trump's rally at Madison Square Garden, a clip of Tony Hinchcliffe saying he and a Black person in the crowd carved watermelons, and other headlines that said Trump spewed "nazi rhetoric" and clips of African Americans being assaulted.
This comes after Harris’s campaign team insisted that Hollywood stars were not paid for their endorsements. However, James wasn’t the first and only celebrity to be bought off by the Harris campaign.
Oprah Winfrey’s company pocketed $1 million for a sit-down interview with the former vice president, while Beyoncé’s team received $165,000 for a brief campaign rally appearance. Despite claiming otherwise, Cardi B was paid $58,000 for her involvement. A nonprofit linked to MSNBC’s Al Sharpton was handed $500,000 weeks before a friendly Harris interview aired on his show. Jennifer Garner received $35,000 to boost Harris publicly, and a firm tied to Barack and Michelle Obama was paid $100,000 for so-called “campaign appearances.”
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