WASHINGTON (Tribune News Service) — President Joe Biden, who has criticized Republican rival Donald Trump for relying on political donations to pay his legal bills, used nearly $2 million raised by the Democratic National Committee to pay his own lawyers.

The DNC paid $1.1 million to Bob Bauer PLLC, the firm of the veteran political lawyer, hired to defend Biden in the investigation over his mishandling of classified documents, according to Federal Election Commission disclosures since 2023. Special counsel Robert Hur, who led the investigation, chose not to prosecute Biden because he didn’t believe he could win a conviction.

Another firm, Hemenway & Barnes LLP, saw increased payments starting in July 2023. Jennifer Miller, an attorney at the firm, represented Biden as well, according to the special counsel’s report. The DNC isn’t required to disclose the precise matters the costs covered. News organization Axios first reported the payments.

The payments give Trump, who has been indicted over his own handling of classified documents, a political opening to say that Biden has acted hypocritically. Trump’s use of money has been a source of controversy within his own party with some factions worried he could siphon off cash that could be used to win Republican majorities in Congress.

Trump has used his leadership political action committee, which raises much of its money from donors who gave less than $200, to pay $64 million to lawyers representing him and allies in a series of criminal and civil cases since January of last year. Trump argues that the cases are politically motivated.

Democrats were quick to claim that the situations were not comparable.

“The DNC does not spend a single penny of grassroots donors’ money on legal bills,” Alex Floyd, a spokesman for the party, said in a statement. He added that Trump has solicited small-dollar donors to contribute money for his legal defense.

Party committees can solicit up to $123,900 from big donors for a dedicated account to pay legal expenses, often called a recount account. However, the DNC did not indicate that the payments to the law firms came from that account in its federal filings.

Trump continues to raise money for his ongoing legal struggles. The Trump 47 Committee, which raises money from big donors, earmarks up to $5,000 to Save America, the PAC that pays Trump’s legal bills. He also earmarked 10 cents of every dollar donated online to the PAC. Trump’s first criminal trial is scheduled to begin next week.

Federal campaigns and political action committees are slated to disclose their latest fundraising and spending reports to the FEC next week.

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