Trump campaign says it’s questioning pollster’s bill, not denying payment

WASHINGTON – Donald Trump’s presidential campaign said Tuesday that it is not refusing to pay a $767,000 bill from pollster Tony Fabrizio, but rather is questioning the amount and reviewing the charges to make sure they are accurate.

“We are making sure that Mr. Trump is paying the correct amount,” said Jason Miller, the campaign’s senior communications adviser. “The vendor in question is still very much part of the team.”

The Washington Post reported Monday that the Trump campaign is disputing nearly $767,000 that Fabrizio’s firm says it is still owed for polling. On Monday, Miller described the matter as “an administrative issue that we’re resolving internally.”

Fabrizio, who has advised candidates from 1996 GOP nominee Bob Dole to Florida Gov. Rick Scott, joined Trump’s campaign in May. However, his firm, Fabrizio Lee, did not receive any payments until September, when the campaign reported paying it nearly $624,000, federal filings show. Trump’s finance reports show that the campaign owes the firm an additional $55,300 on top of the $766,756.67 in debt that it is contesting.

Fabrizio has not responded to requests for comment. But he tweeted Tuesday about the state of the polls, writing, “What if the turnout models are wrong and turnout looks more like 2014 than it does 2012?”