Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff raised nearly $1.5 million at a Lawyers for Harris campaign fundraiser at the Chicago Cultural Center Friday, adding to the $361 million Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris raised in August — more than double the $130 million raised by GOP nominee Donald Trump’s campaign last month.
Event host and lawyer Jon Bunge said the money would go to creating campaign offices in swing states.
Emhoff, a lawyer himself who met Harris through a client in 2013, spoke to a crowd of about 200 in the Cultural Center’s ornate Tiffany Dome Friday afternoon, taking swings at Trump and his vice presidential candidate, Sen. JD Vance of Ohio.
“Democracy literally is the client here — our way of life, our existence,” Emhoff said. “Treat this like the trial of your life.”
Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul and Sen. Dick Durbin opened up the event ahead of former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder — who helped vet Harris’ vice presidential picks — and former deputy Attorney General Sally Yates.
Rep. Jan Schakowsky, D-Ill., also attended. The tab for attendees ran between $1,500 to $100,000, according to an invite obtained by the Sun-Times.
Emhoff said the Trump-Vance campaign is running on “authoritarianism and misogyny,” centering his attacks on Trump’s legal issues and his role in the overturning of Roe v. Wade, as well as several of Vance’s remarks regarding women and child care.
He also touted Liz Cheney’s recent endorsement of Harris and called Project 2025 “900 pages of things that will destroy our country.” Drafted by the Heritage Foundation thinktank, Project 2025 is a set of conservative policy proposals, some of which were crafted by former advisers to Trump during his presidency.
“As my new best friend Tim Walz says, ‘Stay the hell out of there,’” Emhoff said to laughs.
The fundraiser came just days ahead of Tuesday’s debate between Trump and Harris. Emhoff said Harris is preparing for the showdown with Trump while continuing to work with President Joe Biden and Durbin on a plan to secure the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas in Gaza.
“She’s been working on this issue even while she’s preparing for the debate,” he said. “They’re working tirelessly to bring the hostages out and get this deal done.”
Emhoff also said the Harris campaign’s legal staff has been focusing on fighting disenfranchisement efforts and anticipating Republican challenges to the Nov. 5 election results.
“There’s no more important fraud cases than standing up to these bogus election challenges we know are coming,” said Emhoff, who also encouraged those in the crowd to campaign in other states. Quoting Michelle Obama’s speech during the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Emhoff said, “We need to vote in numbers to get rid of any doubt.”