Former FEC Chairman: Trump Paying Stormy Daniels With Own Money is Not Illegal

Trump stormy Daniels payment not illegal
UNITED STATES - APRIL 11: Bradley Smith (Photo By Douglas Graham/Roll Call/Getty Images)

Anti-Trump liberals are thrilled that President Donald Trump’s former attorney Michael Cohen has turned on his former boss and struck a plea deal with prosecutors, which includes prison time. In this case, the prosecutors are claiming that President Trump and Cohen violated campaign finance laws for the large payment to infamous porn star Stormy Daniels.

But there’s one big problem!

On conservative legend Mark Levin’s radio show, he interviewed Clinton-appointed former Federal Elections Commission chairman Bradley Smith. Smith made it absolutely clear that Trump’s payment to Stormy wasn’t illegal, and details just how difficult this case will be for prosecutors, despite the hopes of the biased mainstream media.

Cohen’s charges are one false statement to a financial institution, five counts of tax evasion, and two counts of campaign finance violations. The left is focused on the campaign finance charges, even though Cohen only pleaded guilty to avoid more charges and likely more prison time.

As Levin opined, “It’s not a precedent… They obviously had more on Michael Cohen, or Michael Cohen wouldn’t have cut a deal.” Levin added that a plea deal doesn’t mean there was an actual violation of the law.

In the interview with Smith, the former FEC chairman repeatedly noted that just because a private expense happens to also help a candidate’s public image or improves the chances of winning an election, does not make every dollar spent by a candidate – as a private citizen – is a violation of the law.

Levin asks, “The argument seems to be and it hasn’t changed is that if I spend money to make myself look better or to take away negative issues in my private life, my business life, my employment life, and use my own money, that somehow that is a campaign contribution, correct?”

Smith agrees, “Right.”

Levin confirms, “Which it is not.”

And Smith agrees again, “That’s right, it’s not.”

Listen to his interview (below) on Mark Levin’s popular radio show:

Smith also published an op-ed in The Washington Post, where he notes that while the payments are unseemly, they are not illegal.

This is an important distinction to make. It would be one thing if Trump used campaign funds for personal matters. But an individual running for public office doesn’t suddenly lose his right to buy and spend money as he sees fit. And Trump, a high-profile billionaire, has faced down accusations his entire career, long before he entered politics. Sometimes, it’s cheaper to pay off accusers than fight them in court.

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Thomas is a movement conservative and American patriot. He has a vigorous blue-collar, Jacksonian attitude with a skeptical eye... More about Thomas

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