Trump campaign has paid portions of Michael Cohen's legal fees
Source: ABC
The Trump campaign has spent nearly $228,000 to cover some of the legal expenses for President Donald Trumps personal attorney Michael Cohen, sources familiar with the payments tell ABC News, raising questions about whether the Trump campaign may have violated campaign finance laws.
Federal Election Commission records show three payments made from the Trump campaign to a firm representing Cohen. The legal consulting payments were made to McDermott Will and Emery a law firm where Cohen's attorney Stephen Ryan is a partner between October 2017 and January 2018.
Cohen has said that he did not have a formal role in the Trump campaign, and it is illegal to spend campaign funds for personal use defined by the FEC as payments for expenses that would exist irrespective of the candidates campaign or responsibilities as a federal officeholder.
"They're on shaky legal ground," said Stephen Spaulding, chief of strategy at the nonprofit watchdog group Common Cause. "It sounds like they are really pushing the envelope
If the campaign were to say they are campaign-related payments, then maybe it's okay to use campaign funds. But he can't have it both ways."
Read more: http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trump-campaign-paid-portions-michael-cohens-legal-fees/story?id=54831269
Gothmog
(145,839 posts)Eliot Rosewater
(31,134 posts)federal government would be brought to a screeching halt, immediately.
NOTHING would be allowed to go forward until major penalties were handed out and multiple resignations were in hand.
And this before lunch on Monday, by the end of the week there will be at least 25 more crimes committed that will be ignored.
C Moon
(12,226 posts)Vinca
(50,326 posts)PSPS
(13,635 posts)mpcamb
(2,880 posts)It would make sense to rub the average donor's face in having their money mixed with porn star payoffs and bag men and consigliere salaries.
Some- not all- would hate it, revile it, and be the cross-over voters we'll need.
George II
(67,782 posts)pnwmom
(109,024 posts)That's why they referred it to the SDNY, which accepted it.
Which means the campaign cannot pay for it, legally, anymore than it can pay for the Stormy Daniels matter.
.99center
(1,237 posts)And all they got was a lousy hat. Maybe Stormy can give them free admission to her show? It's the least she can do for the 130k they gave her.
docgee
(870 posts)riversedge
(70,442 posts)docgee
(870 posts)Well, he is stupid and arrogant too, so maybe you're right.
CanonRay
(14,141 posts)so why are they paying him fees?
riversedge
(70,442 posts)Kyle Griffin
?Verified account @kylegriffin1
1h1 hour ago
The Trump campaign has spent nearly $228,000 to cover some of the legal expenses for Michael Cohen, sources familiar with the payments tell ABC News.
Link to tweet
Barbara James
? @barbjames60
Replying to @kylegriffin1 @damonbethea1
BOOM!!!!!!!
2:43 PM - 30 Apr 2018
Nash Teeth
(57 posts)before 2020.
KY_EnviroGuy
(14,500 posts)See: https://www.rawstory.com/2018/04/trump-campaigns-228000-payments-michael-cohen-witness-tampering-ex-white-house-ethics-chief/#.WudyvujMoSk.twitter
(snips)
Norm Eisen, who served as the White House ethics chief under former President Barack Obama, writes on Twitter that these payments could be illegal
on so many levels.
Is it repayment for $130k hush money that Cohen paid [to adult film star Stormy Daniels]? he asked. If so, campaign finance law issues. Equally troubling: Together with the Trump calls, it raises possibility of witness tampering. Risky biz!
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