https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2020/01/18/okla-senators-want-maga-license-plates-which-might-violate-federal-campaign-finance-rules/



By Katie Mettler
Jan. 18, 2020 at 8:00 a.m. EST

Two Republican state senators in Oklahoma want to make room on the roadways for President Trump’s brand — in a move that might be in violation of federal campaign finance rules.

State Sens. Nathan Dahm and Marty Quinn proposed new specialty license plates this week that would read “Make America Great Again” and “Keep America Great,” the two rallying slogans that Trump has used in his 2016 and 2020 bids for the White House, respectively.

The Trump-themed license plates, if approved by the state legislature, would be added to a list of 98 other specialty designs that Oklahoma drivers can choose to purchase for $35. Of that upfront amount, $20 goes to the designated organization that matches the theme of the vanity plate, which includes mostly nonpolitical groups and issues: state universities and education, child abuse prevention, environmental conservation, law enforcement or military support, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, cancer research. There is also a “Choose Life” license plate that funds a state program aiding women’s groups that oppose abortion.

The MAGA and “Keep America Great” plates would not directly fund the president’s reelection bid, the two senators said. Instead, the fees associated with the purchase would be split between two veterans groups, the Warriors for Freedom Foundation and the Folds of Honor Foundation. The Oklahoma Tax Commission, which handles specialty plates, would “enter into a licensing agreement with the corporation or entity designated by Donald J. Trump,” according to the bill.

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