• Trump using campaign, RNC funds to pay Russia probe legal bills: Reuters, citing sources
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[URL="https://www.cnbc.com/2017/09/19/trump-using-campaign-rnc-funds-to-pay-russia-probe-legal-bills-reuters-citing-sources.html"]https://www.cnbc.com/2017/09/19/trump-using-campaign-rnc-funds-to-pay-russia-probe-legal-bills-reuters-citing-sources.html[/URL] [QUOTE]President Donald Trump is using money donated to his reelection campaign and the Republican National Committee to pay for his lawyers in the probe of alleged Russian interference in the U.S. election, according to two people familiar with the matter. The U.S. Federal Election Commission allows the use of private campaign funds to pay legal bills arising from being a candidate or elected official. While previous presidential campaigns have used these funds to pay for routine legal matters such as ballot access disputes and compliance requirements, Trump would be the first U.S. president in the modern campaign finance era to use such funds to cover the costs of responding to a criminal probe, said election law experts. One person familiar with the matter said the first payments, the amount of which Reuters could not determine, has already been made and would be disclosed in public filings. The person did not explain how the costs would be allocated between the campaign and the RNC. The Republican National Committee is expected to make its August spending public on Wednesday, and the Trump campaign is due for another disclosure on Oct. 15. John Dowd, Trump's lead lawyer, declined to say how the president's legal bills were being paid, adding: "That's none of your business." A spokesperson for the RNC declined to comment, but said the committee has already paid unspecified, non-Russia related litigation expenses for the campaign. The RNC has an existing legal defense fund which has been used mainly for Election Day recounts and other routine legal matters for candidates, the spokesperson said. Special counsel Robert Mueller is looking at possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia in last year's election, and whether Trump may have obstructed justice by firing FBI Director James Comey, among other actions. Moscow has denied meddling in the U.S. election, and Trump denies any collusion or obstruction. Reuters could not determine how large a legal bill Trump has incurred to date from his lawyers on the Mueller probe. Trump hired his longtime New York lawyer Marc Kasowitz to head his defense team in May, but Kasowitz stepped down in July, with Dowd taking over the lead role, according to a people familiar. Trump is also being represented by constitutional lawyer Jay Sekulow. Special White House counsel Ty Cobb, who is a salaried staff member, is also working on the matter. The Trump campaign has paid law firm Jones Day almost $4 million, according to campaign filings, mostly for routine campaign legal expenses like ballot access disputes, vendor contracts, human resources and compliance with state and federal laws. It has also responded to Russia-related inquiries on behalf of the campaign by, for example, providing documents to Congress.[/QUOTE]
This is just predictable, really. He'd use money collected from White House staffers for UNICEF to pay his legal bills if it meant not opening his own wallet.
Trump really does take corruption to a whole new level. [quote]John Dowd, Trump's lead lawyer, declined to say how the president's legal bills were being paid, adding: "That's none of your business."[/quote] Fuck you, it is absolutely their business if money donated by citizens for the express purpose of reelecting a candidate is being redirected to cover up the candidate's own corruption. What fucking planet are these slimy bastards living on?
[QUOTE]John Dowd, Trump's lead lawyer, declined to say how the president's legal bills were being paid, adding: "That's none of your business."[/QUOTE] Oh? How do you figure that, Dowd? He's the president of the United States. Transparency in such situations is not only good but absolutely [I]vital[/I] which makes this our business.
Good, drain the RNC's coffers while you're at it. Anyone who donates to the RNC should expect this kind of shit.
Well, if you look at it in a different light, these funds [I]are[/I] actually going towards improving Trump's chances of getting reelected :V
[QUOTE=Bonde;52699828]Well, if you look at it in a different light, these funds [I]are[/I] actually going towards improving Trump's chances of getting reelected :V[/QUOTE] can't get reelected if you get convicted!
[QUOTE=mcharest;52698076]Trump really does take corruption to a whole new level. What fucking planet are these slimy bastards living on?[/QUOTE] America obviously.
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