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Trump is Committing 'Felony Bribery' by Giving Fundraising Cash to GOP Senators ahead of Impeachment Trial: Ex-Bush Ethics Lawyer
Attorney Richard Painter, who served as the chief White House ethics lawyer in the George W. Bush administration, warned on Thursday that President Donald Trump appeared to be committing "felony bribery" by giving Republican senators fundraising cash ahead of an increasingly likely impeachment trial in the Senate.
The lawyer shared an article published by Politico on Thursday morning. Titled "Trump lures GOP senators on impeachment with cold cash," the article outlined how the president is turning to his large network of donors to raise funds for a few senators facing difficult re-election campaigns in 2020. All of those senators have also signed a resolution condemning the Democratic-led impeachment inquiry.
"This is a bribe. Any other American who offered cash to the jury before a trial would go to prison for felony bribery. But he can get away with it?" Painter, a law professor at the University of Minnesota,wrote on Twitter.
President Donald Trump is rewarding senators who have his back on impeachment — and sending a message to those who don't to get on board.
Trump is tapping his vast fundraising network for a handful of loyal senators facing tough reelection bids in 2020. Each of them has signed onto a Republican-backed resolution condemning the inquiry as “unprecedented and undemocratic.”
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Conspicuously absent from the group is Maine Sen. Susan Collins, a politically vulnerable Republican who’s refused to support the resolution and avoided taking a stance on impeachment. With his new push, Trump is exerting leverage over a group he badly needs in his corner with an impeachment trial likely coming soon to the Senate — but that also needs him.
Fundraising for the GOP is now called Felony Bribery, if it has anything to do with the Head of the Party. The Anti-Trumpers are totally unhinged.
If it were just fundraising why is he only giving money to those who have his back? The only folks "unhinged" are those who choose not to see exactly what this president really is.
Fundraising for the GOP is now called Felony Bribery, if it has anything to do with the Head of the Party. The Anti-Trumpers are totally unhinged.
Not my words..it is from Republican and ex-Bush Ethics Lawyer, Attorney Richard Painter.
(He is giving money for the ones who are supporting him, denying it to the ones not....that does not sound like bribery to you???)
If what the Dems are doing was a legit impeachment process, you MIGHT have a 1% chance of being right, but since none of the rules have been followed, its just another propaganda sham, and your chances fall to ZERO.
Not my words..it is from Republican and ex-Bush Ethics Lawyer, Attorney Richard Painter.
(He is giving money for the ones who are supporting him, denying it to the ones not....that does not sound like bribery to you???)
It sounds like politically deranged conspiracy theory that, again, not even the Democrats in the impeachment "inquiry" are deliberating.
But all you need to do is look to bribery as defined in federal law. In relevant part, bribery is:
Quote:
(b)Whoever—
(1)directly or indirectly, corruptly gives, offers or promises anything of value to any public official or person who has been selected to be a public official, or offers or promises any public official or any person who has been selected to be a public official to give anything of value to any other person or entity, with intent—
(A)to influence any official act; or
(B)to influence such public official or person who has been selected to be a public official to commit or aid in committing, or collude in, or allow, any fraud, or make opportunity for the commission of any fraud, on the United States; or
(C)to induce such public official or such person who has been selected to be a public official to do or omit to do any act in violation of the lawful duty of such official or person;
Not only is there nothing "corrupt" about using politics to decide who to give money to (i.e. political fundraising monies to your political allies vs. non-political allies), you'd have to prove that POTUS intended to "influence" an official act or to "influence" a public official to commit fraud or to "induce" a public official to otherwise break the law. Even if, say, Susan Collins was ultimately influenced by the lack of funds from POTUS' campaign and that changed her vote, you'd have no smoking gun as you'd still have to prove that POTUS' intent was to influence/induce such behavior vice just retaliating against people not on board with his position on impeachment.
In short, any POTUS is free to act against fellow partisans via fundraising (by withholding funds) if they took positions that he didn't like. Based on your logic, Obama's decision to campaign for embattled Democrats who supported his Obamacare legislation (thus, extending the influence and prestige of the office of the presidency)was bribery as it could be seen as seeking to influence future behavior by more moderate to conservative Democrats in Congress (vote for my priorities and I'll have your back), but that, again, would be ludicrous and based on nothing but conjecture.
Like many, you and the author of the piece you quote to are willing to jump to conclusions and engage in sheer conjecture as to what POTUS' intent based on hatred of the president.
Not my words..it is from Republican and ex-Bush Ethics Lawyer, Attorney Richard Painter.
(He is giving money for the ones who are supporting him, denying it to the ones not....that does not sound like bribery to you???)
Desperate times call for desperate accusations.
that is politics as usual.
how do you think Pelosi keeps her dems in line.
why would a politician support people who do not support him????????
Desperate times call for desperate accusations.
This Richard Painter?
'Apr 30, 2018 · Richard Painter Won’t Back The Eight Women Who Accused Al Franken Of Sexual Harassment (Youtube/Screenshot) Comments; ... Richard Painter, 56, is listed a Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate in the state of Minnesota on the FEC website and..'
An ethics layer, WOW!
Desperate times call for desperate accusations.
Desperate times call for desperate accusations.
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An ethics layer, WOW!
