Posted on 12/08/2018 7:55:52 AM PST by Olog-hai
Still nothing to do with “collusion with Russia” (another non-crime).
And no, Ms. Clifford cannot use “blackmail” even with her breach of the NDA.
2) Cohen was Trump's lawyer, not one of his campaign staff. Cohen had absolutely no connection to Trump's campaign. The payments were not for any sort of product or service even remotely connected to anyone's campaign for public office. Therefore, making the payments was not any sort of violation of any laws whatsoever. Trump had a long-standing business relationship with Cohen that involved Trump reimbursing Cohen for his expenses, including payments for non-disclosure agreements exactly like the one with Daniels. That business relationship doesn't magically become a part of a political campaign just because the client runs for office, for the same reason periodic payments to one's doctor don't, even if failing to pay would result in treatment being denied, and the campaign being adversely affected as a result.
3) Yes, Cohen pleaded guilty to making the payments in violation of Federal election laws. However, if you tried to use that fact to prove that Cohen's actions were a violation of Federal law, you'd be laughed out of court. Reason: A guilty plea proves absolutely nothing about whether the alleged acts actually occurred, nor whether any of the alleged acts were actually crimes or against the law. That's true even when the guilty plea is not part of a plea deal. But when it is -- as in this case -- the only thing it proves is that the accused, for whatever reason, doesn't want to put himself at risk of actually being convicted in court, with the result of being sentenced far more severely than whatever punishment he'll receive as part of the plea deal, and/or that the accused doesn't want to, or can't, pay the legal fees required to fight the charges.
4) Trump committed no crime by reimbursing Cohen, because Federal law allows a candidate to contribute an unlimited amount of his own funds to his own campaign. That's also true if the candidate gets the funds by borrowing them as a personal loan from a lender.
References:
1) https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/385965-giuliani-trump-reimbursed-cohen-for-payment-to-stormy-daniels
2) https://www.foxnews.com/politics/dershowitz-trump-more-correct-than-his-critics-are-with-claims-about-daniels-mcdougal-payments
This is very fertile ground for an impeachment fight...in Trump’s favor.
Let’s HOPE this is what the Democrats are forced to run with.
How is it illegal? If the women agreed of their own free will, they weren’t covering up a crime, and it’s his own money... I’d say the women were more guilty of the crime of blackmail than him being the criminal for paying it.
Wow. Trump is no better than billz hillz or Barry../s
The Hillary campaign did it more cheaply--having Seth Rich killed meant not having to pay him any money (and he may not have been open to being bribed to stay silent). Of course they may have had to pay the hit man something.
Of course. 8>)
Balderdash!
Yawn
To a socialist/communist all things are political.
They may “claim” but I’m sure they do not “believe” it any more than I do.
Since when is paying blackmailers a crime? Congress has quietly voted itself an entire department with a budget to quietly pay off blackmailers.
Interesting. I never knew that NDAs were illegal, especially years before you run for office.
Gary Hart and Donna Rice on the yacht Monkey Business.
“The filing stopped short of accusing the president of committing a crime.”
Another non-story.
For the AP’s education, extortion in a crime, not paying the extortionist.
5.56mm
In=is.
Farking autocorrect.
5.56mm
He still denies any affairs. Why do you think?
Assuming Cohen has any credibility left, how are these payments different from the multiple payments made by Congress from a secret slush fund to buy off staff claiming harassment or sexual assault? At least Trump used his own money, while Congress used tax dollars as hush money. Once again, it is clear that rules only apply against those who are despised by the Left.
Directing payments to women? Its all about sex and its a private matter.
Even if its true - everyone lies about sex. Democrats used it to get Clinton off the hook.
They established the precedent and they have to live with it. Good luck In impeaching Trump over.... sex.
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