Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Massachusetts, is whining about the Melania documentary, accusing one studio of “bribery.”
The congresswoman has set her sights on Amazon MGM Studios following their $40 million purchase of “Melania,” a documentary about First Lady Melania Trump. They also shelled out a whopping $35 million to market the film, which is an unusual amount given that the genre of movie has not historically been the most popular in theaters.
Warren and Rep. Hank Johnson, D-Georgia, believe they smell a rat, firing off a letter to the studios and accusing them of a “pay-for-play arrangement with the Trump administration.”
“The fact that Amazon is seeking favorable treatment from the Trump Administration while paying a far-above-market sum to produce and promote the Trump family’s film raises questions about Amazon’s exposure under federal anti-bribery law,” the letter reads, according to Variety. “The American people deserve assurance that powerful corporations are not using their financial resources to gain political influence or favorable treatment at public expense — and that these corporations are not violating federal bribery laws.”
They demanded that Amazon offer an explanation for offering so much money for the film and “clarify whether the company discussed its bid with Melania Trump directly or with anyone in the administration,” the outlet added.
Amazon’s VP of public policy Brian Huseman issued a statement denying that anything “improper” took place.
“We disagree with any suggestion that Amazon’s decision to license this film and accompanying series was improper. We regularly release documentaries that offer unique perspectives on cultural and historical figures across the political spectrum,” he said. “Amazon MGM Studios became the licensor of the film and accompanying series following a thorough and competitive bidding process. ‘Melania’ gave us the opportunity to tell a story that’s never been told before, with unprecedented access to a historic presidential transition through the perspective of the First Lady. Our decision was based on the film and series itself — the access, the story, and its cultural and historical relevance.”
But Warren isn’t buying it, saying the response “reeks of desperation to please Donald Trump.”
“If there’s nothing corrupt about this deal and the bidding process was truly ‘competitive,’ why won’t Amazon explain why it reportedly paid three times as much as the next highest bidder? The logical explanation is that Amazon is trying to buy the President’s favor by dumping millions into the Trump family’s pockets. This looks like bribery in plain sight, and Amazon must give Congress — and the American people — answers now,” she said.
Johnson also released a statement condemning Amazon.
“When we saw the oligarchs and tech bros gather in front-row seats at Trump’s second inauguration — some of whom gave him millions for his re-election campaign — it raised the specter that the rich and powerful were going to wield dangerous levels of power and influence on the nation through their largess to this transactional and corrupt president. Amazon’s ‘nothing-to-see-here’ response makes this fear even more of a reality. If there were truly nothing to see, then Amazon would have answered these basic questions.”
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Sierra Marlee is a millennial whose hunger for the truth in a world of fake news has led her to write. Marlee also contributes to BizPac Review.
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