Massachusetts Democrat Senator Elizabeth Warren is accusing Amazon MGM Studios of “bribery in plain sight” for investing in the Melania documentary, despite remaining quite as media outlet after media outlet handed the Obama’s hundreds of millions for their film and podcast projects.
Last year, the studio paid out $40 million to acquire Melania, the documentary about the first lady’s journey to her husband’s second inauguration. The studio paid another $35 million to market the film.
Warren, who has taken massive criticism for falsely claiming to have Native American heritage when she was a law professor at Harvard, ripped MGM for what she calls a “corrupt pay-to-play arrangement with the Trump administration,” according to Variety.
“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?” Warren exclaimed. “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.”
Warren was joined in her demands by Democrat Georgia Rep. Hank Johnson, who years ago worried that the island of Guam would tip over if too many people were to visit there.
“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,” Johnson added. “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.”
Johnson and Warren are demanding that Amazon explain its decision to invest in the film about the first lady.
For its part, the studio rejects Warren’s accusation.
“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,” the studio said in a statement.
“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,” the company added.
Last year, the studio said, “We licensed the film for one reason and one reason only — because we think customers are going to love it.”
The film debuted as the number one film on Amazon Prime in March.
After debuting in theaters across the country in late January, becoming the biggest box office opening for a documentary in over a decade, Melania moved to Amazon Prime.
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