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Sorry, media -- talking to foreigners does not violate federal campaign laws
Fox News.com ^ | June 23, 2019 | Hans von Spakovsky

Posted on 06/23/2019 1:21:20 PM PDT by Kaslin

It was a hypothetical question about getting information on a political opponent from a foreign national. Yet President Trump’s response sparked a furor—one that was long on accusations and short on the actual law governing federal campaigns.

Here’s the bottom line: a federal candidate who is freely given information is not receiving a “contribution” or “thing of value” and is thus not violating federal campaign finance law or the regulations issued by the Federal Election Commission (FEC). I know. I served as an FEC Commissioner.

If getting dirt on an opponent were a “thing of value,” then any adverse information concerning a candidate—even informed criticism of a rival’s policy proposals—would also have to be considered a “thing of value,” and both would have to listed as a financial “contribution” to a campaign. Such a broad interpretation of the law would be potentially unconstitutional and impractical to administer or enforce. Moreover, it is not a position that has been taken by the FEC.

Federal law (52 U.S.C. §30121) prohibits a foreign national from contributing or donating money or a “thing of value” to a federal, state, or local candidate or political committee. Foreigners are also banned from engaging in independent political expenditures. That means that the Chinese government, for example, can’t give money directly to a candidate, nor can it buy an ad in the New York Times telling Americans they should vote for or against a particular candidate.

(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial
KEYWORDS: 2020election; dnctalkingpoint; dnctalkingpoints; election2020; fec; mediawingofthednc; partisanmediashills; presstitutes; smearmachine
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1 posted on 06/23/2019 1:21:20 PM PDT by Kaslin
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To: Kaslin
I got their (liberals) Russian Collusion(TM) right here....someone else can post the Hillary Russian Collusion.


2 posted on 06/23/2019 1:25:47 PM PDT by SaveFerris (Luke 17:28 ... as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold ......)
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To: Kaslin

Mr Dershowitz,no friend of Republicans,has been saying this from the very beginning...there’s absolutely *no* evidence that *anything* that DJT,or his people,have done comes close to being a criminal act.


3 posted on 06/23/2019 1:57:39 PM PDT by Gay State Conservative (A joke: Comey,Brennan and Lynch walk into a Barr...)
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To: SaveFerris
"After my election" I have often asked myself how did he know over seven month that he would win the election. The answer could not be any clearer than that he had planned to steal the election. Remember he never said if I win the election.

What do you think about it?

4 posted on 06/23/2019 2:02:01 PM PDT by Kaslin
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To: Kaslin

As we often imagine, there are other “forces” at work, I imagine.

IOW, another rigged game. Plus Mitt wasn’t exactly the most exciting candidate. I voted but against Obama, not exactly for Mitt.


5 posted on 06/23/2019 2:04:26 PM PDT by SaveFerris (Luke 17:28 ... as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold ......)
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To: Gay State Conservative

Alan Dershowitz is the only democrat who deserves respect. He already let it be known that he will vote for President Trump’s reelection on November 2, 2020


6 posted on 06/23/2019 2:16:59 PM PDT by Kaslin
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To: SaveFerris
I voted for Mitt Romney in the general election, because he was the nominee, and I always vote for the Republican nominee.

My choice before the Tennessee primary would have been Herman Cain, but he got out before the TN Primary so there was no use to vote for him

7 posted on 06/23/2019 2:31:45 PM PDT by Kaslin
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To: Kaslin

That’s weird. I saw article that said Alan Dershowitz was going to support Biden (elsewhere).

Possibly more propaganda from the liberal smear machine known as the MSM?


8 posted on 06/23/2019 2:34:28 PM PDT by SaveFerris (Luke 17:28 ... as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold ......)
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To: Kaslin

Most such remarks are nothing but puffery designed to instill confidence in a politician’s supporters and discourage the politician’s opponents and their supporters.


9 posted on 06/23/2019 2:47:51 PM PDT by libstripper
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To: Kaslin

Herman Cain was the biggest campaign contribution I ever made. And the USA really missed a great chance to only have 4 years of Obama.


10 posted on 06/23/2019 3:00:31 PM PDT by FreedomPoster (Islam delenda est)
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To: SaveFerris

You don’t really think that Alam Dershowitz is so stupid to vote for that moron, don’t you? But then that is the Drive-By media as Rush calls them.


11 posted on 06/23/2019 3:29:00 PM PDT by Kaslin
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To: FreedomPoster

Yeah, they sure did.


12 posted on 06/23/2019 3:30:11 PM PDT by Kaslin
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To: Kaslin
Foreigners are also allowed to say their piece on twitter etc..
13 posted on 06/23/2019 3:39:31 PM PDT by Sacajaweau
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To: Kaslin
President Trump’s response sparked a furor

No matter what he said the MSM would've been in a furor because they're always in a furor.

14 posted on 06/23/2019 6:11:40 PM PDT by libertylover (Democrats hated Lincoln too.)
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To: Kaslin
Remember when candidate Sen. Obama wanted to give a speech at the Brandenburg Gate in Germany but was told he couldn't but was welcome to speak elsewhere in Berlin in 2008?

Remember when President Obama did finally give a speech at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin in 2013?

Both times, the German government had to provide the venue, the security personnel, and other costs of disruption to the city.

Were these examples of foreign government interference in the American election by providing such a stage only to Obama?

-PJ

15 posted on 06/23/2019 6:17:50 PM PDT by Political Junkie Too (The 1st Amendment gives the People the right to a free press, not CNN the right to the 1st question.)
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To: SaveFerris

Let’s not forget Chinagate.


16 posted on 06/23/2019 7:16:50 PM PDT by Eagles6
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To: Kaslin

Don’t know where I saw that. But I do remember reading it just that way.

Of course, that doesn’t mean it’s factual...


17 posted on 06/23/2019 8:19:02 PM PDT by SaveFerris (Luke 17:28 ... as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold ......)
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To: Kaslin; Liz; LucyT; GregNH; bitt

FWIW:

Alan Dershowitz says he’d support Biden over Trump in 2020, but backing Bernie would be a ‘real dilemma’

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/alan-dershowitz-says-hed-support-biden-over-trump-in-2020

Dershowitz says he could ‘enthusiastically’ vote for Biden over Trump

https://thehill.com/homenews/media/448480-dershowitz-says-he-could-enthusiastically-vote-for-biden-over-trump

Dershowitz says he could ‘enthusiastically’ vote for Biden over Trump

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/alan-dershowitz-i-enthusiastically-support-biden-over-trump

And then:

Dershowitz pulls back on his support of Biden in 2020

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/dershowitz-pulls-back-on-his-support-of-biden-in-2020


Make of it what you will


18 posted on 06/23/2019 9:16:26 PM PDT by SaveFerris (Luke 17:28 ... as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold ......)
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Dershowitz ‘Could’ Vote Biden, Would Probably Like to Be Socially Acceptable Again

http://nymag.com/intelligencer/2019/06/alan-dershowitz-trump-defender-could-vote-biden-in-2020.html

(he still seems to be a Democrat at heart...again, FWIW)


19 posted on 06/23/2019 9:18:25 PM PDT by SaveFerris (Luke 17:28 ... as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold ......)
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To: SaveFerris
Make of it what you will

They will not have decided on a candidate until July of 2020...Over a year away!!!!

I make nothing of all of it!!!

20 posted on 06/24/2019 6:16:44 PM PDT by GregNH (If you can't fight, please find a good place to hide!)
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