Posted on 08/23/2018 2:10:01 PM PDT by TBP
A few things are clear. A candidate is free to contribute to his or her own campaign. It also is not criminal for a candidate to pay hush money to women whose disclosures might endanger his campaign. So if candidate Trump paid hush money to his two accusers, there would be no violation of any campaign or other laws. To be sure, if he did so for the purpose of helping his campaign — as distinguished from helping his marriage — his campaign would have to disclose any such contribution, and failure to do so might be a violation of a campaign law, but the payments themselves would be entirely lawful.
If, on the other hand, Michael Cohen made the payments by himself, without direction from the president, that would constitute an impermissible campaign contribution from a third party. But if Cohen was merely acting as Trump’s lawyer and advancing Trump’s payments, with an expectation of repayment, then it would be hard to find a campaign finance crime other than failure to report by the campaign.
Failure to report all campaign contributions is fairly common in political campaigns. Moreover, the offense is committed not by the candidate but, rather, by the campaign and is generally subject to a fine. Though it is wrong, it certainly is not the kind of high crime and misdemeanor that could serve as the basis for a constitutionally authorized impeachment and removal of a duly elected president.
Moreover, prosecutors should be reluctant to rely on the uncorroborated word of a guilty defendant who pleaded guilty to lying and defrauding. Thomas Jefferson once observed that a criminal statute, to be fairly enforceable, must be so clear that it can be understood by the average person who reads it “while running.”
(Excerpt) Read more at thehill.com ...
Worst case scenario where Cohen spills the beans and everything he says is true (not a given), that would still leave me with having to choose either Trump or the party that runs the cities where tens of thousands including children are murdered every year. That would not be a difficult choice.
“....To be sure, if he did so for the purpose of helping his campaign — as distinguished from helping his marriage — his campaign would have to disclose any such contribution, and failure to do so might be a violation of a campaign law, but the payments themselves would be entirely lawful......”
The quibble is that Trump does not want to damage his marriage and will argue that is why he paid and does not have to report jack.
“there appears to be no crime here.”
Yes, but is the crime that he didn’t commit a “high crime”? Maybe if the media experts put all their minds together, they may be able to divine an answer.
No, and no collusion either. Obama and Hillary are the guilty parties.
Mueller’s witch hunt is the only crime.
A U. S. Attorney General doing his job would put an end to Mueller’s investigation.
If Trump’s political enemies want to disagree with the President’s claim that he’s the victim of a “witch hunt”, then maybe they should, you know, stop acting EXACTLY AS IF they were perpetrating a “witch hunt” 24/7.
No.
Meanwhile....over 25 people in the FBI/DOJ have been demoted or fired in a plot to overthrow Trump. But nothing to see here folks. Move along.
A real attorney general would kick the NY federal prosecutors’ butts for making Cohen plea to something that’s not a crime.
This aggression would not stand, man.
Didn’t Trump use his OWN money? Or did he start taking campaign contributions later down the road?
I’ve slept since the election. Well, that and drank a lot of beer.
Neal Morton Watts
2 hours ago
It's hard for a hate filled, desperate, ignorant liberal to understand.
Cohen Pled Guilty to Things That Aren’t Crimes
These payments to these women are not crimes. They are not campaign violations, campaign finance violations.
They do not constitute illegal acts in any way, shape, manner, or form. No matter who made the payment, no matter who reimbursed the payment, no matter who wrote the check, no matter who signed the check, no matter who delivered the money! None of it is illegal! Michael Cohen pled guilty to things that are not illegal!
Yes, not committing any crimes is really an illegal conspiracy to obstruct their attempts to bring him to justice.
Ask John Edwards
He had no governmental authority. As such, nothing he did would constitute a high crime.
.
Those of us that listen to Mark Lavin knew this a year ago.
Mark gets it all correct every time. (then he gets accused of being a “never-Trumper by the ignorant Trumpanzees, even though he has been trying to keep Trump out of trouble every minute since the election)
If President Trump navigates this correctly, it backfires on the maniacs. "Little folk" know what it is to be screwed over by the system.
No, Sessions is playing everyone while Rome burns down.
Someone get Sessions a fiddle.
I’ve already forgotten. What was last week’s MSM Trump-hate uproar?
http://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3681473/posts
Totally different case.
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