Posted on 12/08/2018 7:55:52 AM PST by Olog-hai
The Justice Department says that President Donald Trump directed illegal payments to buy the silence of two women whose claims of extramarital affairs threatened his presidential campaign, the first time prosecutors have connected Trump to a federal crime.
In a court filing, prosecutors said former Trump lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen arranged the secret payments at the height of the 2016 campaign “in coordination with and at the direction of” Trump. Cohen has previously said Trump was involved in the hush-money scheme, but court documents filed ahead of Cohen’s sentencing made clear prosecutors believe Cohen’s claim.
The filing stopped short of accusing the president of committing a crime. Whether a president can be prosecuted while in office remains a matter of legal dispute.
But there’s no ambiguity in Friday’s filing that prosecutors believe Cohen’s act was criminal and Trump was directly involved, a remarkable disclosure with potential political and legal ramifications for a president dogged by investigations.
The payments are likely to become a target for House Democrats gearing up to investigate the president next year. It’s unclear whether Trump faces legal jeopardy over his role. …
(Excerpt) Read more at apnews.com ...
Two words “Political Ambition” tells you just how dangerous they can be.
The president could openly acknowledge that he made the payments with the sole intent to further his presidential campaign and that would not be a violation of campaign finance law so long as the payment was made from his own funds. The key being use of his own money. Since most politicians and media employees never use their own money, they have a difficult time understanding a person who self finances.
Federal law requires that any payments made “for the purposes of influencing” an election must be reported in campaign finance disclosures. The court filing Friday makes clear that the payments were made to benefit Trump politically. …This from the AP’s amazing legal experts. Meanwhile, they also say that these prosecutors never accused Trump of a crime, or even that these payments for NDA had anything to do with the election (never mind Russia). All doublespeak and misdirection.
Like Congress keeping payouts secret?
Nancy is back it will start up and expand
No they haven’t. More fake news.
The AP doesn’t think so. They claim “any payments made ‘for the purpose of influencing’ an election” violate campaign finance law (notice how they play with the language).
So out of court settlements are now a federal crime? To Mueller, anything the president does is criminal.
Seems more likely to me he paid fake news hussies to go away.
Let's see... how many investigations have to be simultaneously occurring for one to 'dogged?'
Five?
Ten?
First off, it’s not a matter of “legal dispute” regarding prosecution of a sitting president; it’s settled Justice Department policy and Mueller has to follow it.
Also, since when are “directed payments” to women to buy silence (not an admission of guilt, by the way) “campaign contributions?”
Everything about Mueller and this probe is a scam. Every. Single. Thing. It’s sickening to see the “mainstream” media pretend otherwise.
Well you see, the AP says they “influenced” the election. And they say federal law says all such payments must be disclosed on campaign filings. And if you try to sue the AP for slander, they’ll cry “NY Slimes Company v. Sullivan” and plead the Fifth (or something).
Reminds me of Grant. Everybody knows he was a drunk but not one first person historical account bears witness to even one drink during 8 years of Presidency. Fake news.
...directed illegal payments to buy the silence of two women whose claims of extramarital affairs...
How about these?
“Sigh..when will this crap ever end?”
When the Marxists control the entire government permanently, with no possibility of non-Marxist participation.
“The filing stopped short of accusing the president of committing a crime.“
Now comes the endless MSM chatter of what is under the redactions. Another reason to release everything. I am so sick of watching them shove
Banderillas into Trump and never any counter measures. It’s a disgusting spectacle.
oh, tell them it was “just personal” and they should Move On!!
Roger that !
“Federal law requires that any payments made “for the purposes of influencing” an election must be reported in campaign finance disclosures.”
Pretty obvious that our Congresscritter’s hush spending (of our money) was to influence their re-election. So, same same.
Hey, AP, what are their stories? Huh?
And this is all based on the word of someone who is trying to save themselves. And even it were true then this article fails to identify the crime.
How quickly again did CNN drop the $15M+ of taxpayer hush-money of Congress?
Found one too many ‘high-ranking’ (D) on the role, no doubt...
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