Elections

#RefundWarren trends on Twitter. Can you actually get your money back?

The hashtag #RefundWarren became one of the top trends on Twitter amid a dispute between Democratic presidential candidates Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders, with some users looking to get their money back.

The dispute broke out after a CNN report on a meeting between the candidates during which Sen. Sanders allegedly told Sen. Warren that he did not believe a woman could win the presidency.

Warren confirmed the account of the meeting in a statement issued Monday, saying, “I thought a woman could win; he disagreed.”

Sanders has denied making such a statement, telling CNN that it was “ludicrous” he would tell her a woman couldn’t win.

“Do I believe a woman can win in 2020? Of course!” he said. “After all, Hillary Clinton beat Donald Trump by 3 million votes in 2016.”

The disagreement between Sanders and Warren has exposed a rift between the camps, with supporters on both sides accusing the other candidate of lying or playing politics. Several users said they were asking for a refund on their political donations.

Can you get your money back?

Candidates are generally not required by law to return political donations; however, some do so for moral or political reasons.

Several Democrats refunded donations from Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein after accusations of sexual harassment became public. And The New York Times reported former Sen. Arlen Specter refunded about $850,000 in donations after switching political parties from Republican to Democrat.

There are two ways to request a refund from a campaign. For candidates such as Warren and Sanders, donors can send a request through ActBlue, which is the fundraising platform for Democratic candidates. However, ActBlue is only issuing refunds for donations made in the past 90 days.

The second option is reaching out to campaigns directly. Twitter user Quinn Rattan said he reached out to candidate Pete Buttigieg’s campaign last year to request a refund several months after his donation of $10, and his request was granted.

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Maya Earls
McClatchy DC
I am a journalist based in Washington, D.C. covering breaking news and politics. I am originally from the Richmond, Va. area, and a VCU and Columbia Journalism grad. When not checking the latest Twitter trends, I am either watching The Golden Girls or soccer.
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