Trump Confession

[Belsnickel]

(08-06-2018, 12:10 PM)michaelsean Wrote: So you have to prove they a)received something of value and b) didn't compensate for it.  Did Trump confess to that?

I know this is an older post, but I didn't dive into this thread until just now. I also haven't read all of the posts following, but I wanted to provide a little further clarification after Fred's post. There doesn't actually need to be an exchange of anything for there to have been a crime. If the meeting was happening to discuss the crime, then that can constitute conspiracy to commit the crime. So taking a meeting to discuss Russia providing the campaign with damaging information on Clinton would be conspiracy to violate the law, which is in and of itself a violation of the law.

As to the second part, contributions need not be lacking in a quid pro quo or other compensation. A person can contribute something of value to a campaign and be compensated; campaign staffers do it on the regular. I know that is not typically how we think of the word, but the intent of the law is as such. This is why it is included separate from donation.

(08-06-2018, 12:34 PM)michaelsean Wrote: I'm not trying to defend him ethically.  I think he's a sleaze and his son and son-in-law are just as bad if not worse.  I just don't think he confessed to anything.   Jr might have some campaign finance laws he has to answer for, but isn't that usually just a fine?

Per the U.S. Code, the punishment would be up to a $10k fine and/or 5 years in prison as an illegal payment to the campaign. The real issue for Jr. will be the perjury charge since he testified before Congress that the meeting was about Russian adoptions and not getting dirt on Clinton.