Special counsel focuses on Trump fundraising off false election claims

[demmiblue]

Source: WaPo

Federal prosecutors probing the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol have in recent weeks sought a wide range of documents related to fundraising after the 2020 election, seeking to determine if Trump or his advisers scammed donors by using false claims about voter fraud to raise money, eight people familiar with the new inquiries said.

Special counsel Jack Smith’s office has sent subpoenas in recent weeks to Trump advisers and former campaign aides, Republican operatives and other consultants involved in the 2020 presidential campaign, the people said. They have also heard testimony from some of these figures in front of a Washington grand jury, some of the people said.

The eight people with knowledge of the investigation spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing criminal investigation.

The fundraising prong of the investigation is focused on money raised during the period between Nov. 3, 2020, and the end of Trump’s time in office on Jan. 20, 2o21, and prosecutors are said to be interested in whether anyone associated with the fundraising operation violated wire fraud laws which make it illegal to make false representations over email to swindle people out of money.

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2023/04/12/trump-fundraising-fraud-special-counsel/

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[musclecar6]

1. Aw Gee

I find it hard to believe an honest straight shooter like our favorite would be facist unhinged would be totalitarian tyrant would be engaged in making false representations to swindle people out of money.

[brooklynite]

2. I don't see the crime.

Lying to voters is unethical but not illegal. And it wouldn't be swindling unless the money was specifically claimed to go to paying for lawsuits and the fine print didn't indicate it would go elsewhere.

[edhopper]

4. If the fundraising was for something specific

like State law suits, and then used for something completely different, that is a crime.

[brooklynite]

8. Not if the 2 pt type said "100% of the funds will go to Trump's personal PAC"...

We know about his playing around with fundraising because people reported on the fine print at his donation page back in 2021.

[edhopper]

9. Guess

That is what they are looking into.

[OMGWTF]

14. Also, the Traitor Tot organization would continue to bill your credit card monthly

unless you unchecked a hidden box or something like that.

[NJCher]

13. they didn't say it was a crime

"I don't see the crime."


they said they're looking into it. Big difference.

Wire fraud. It is illegal, but certain requirements must be met. They discussed "fine print." They are looking into it to see if what he did merits prosecution.

Andrew Weissman, who used to do this kind of work, said on Chris Hayes tonight what the specifics were. Maybe you'd like to check that out--it's three quarters of the way through the program.

[hibbing]

3. If? Hahaha

[barbtries]

5. he still does to this day.

all day every day send me money i got robbed

[Botany]

6. Oh Good God in Butter ... Donny is really fucked. Go Jack Smith!

"The fundraising prong of the investigation is focused on money raised during the period between Nov. 3, 2020, and the end of Trump’s time in office on Jan. 20, 2o21, and prosecutors are said to be interested in whether anyone associated with the fundraising operation violated wire fraud laws which make it illegal to make false representations over email to swindle people out of money."

Trump raised $72 million for his "stop the steal" shit about the outcome of the 2020 election and to help
out in the 2 Georgia Senate races of which he reportedly kept all $72 million for himself.

[yaesu]

7. They've been scamming donors for yrs, putting them on auto monthly payments

automatically when the first donate. I don't mind the idiots getting what they deserve but glad they are looking closer at the yRump crime organization, aka, GOP

[NBachers]

10. Holy shit, this could result in damages in the hundreds of millions.

[AZ8theist]

11. Let's just hope this is only one "prong" of the investigation...

Because there are more serious espionage matters that require investigation.

For instance, what US secrets were sold in order to get Jarrod his $2B to pay off that dump in Manhattan?

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/10/us/jared-kushner-saudi-investment-fund.html

https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2022/05/jared-kushner-affinity-partners-saudi-arabia

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10708117/Jared-Kushner-got-2B-investment-Saudi-wealth-fund-despite-doubts-new-firm-Report.html

American assets around the world were EXECUTED because of the traitorous pigs corruption.

LOCK. HIM. THE. FUCK. UP.

[NH Ethylene]

16. I totally agree. Why go after something that straddles the line

When he has committed so many very serious crimes that impact the whole nation?

[WVreaper]

12. Grifters Grift

[czarjak]

15. Don't forget 16!

[republianmushroom]

17. 26 months and counting

[PatrickforB]

18. Fraud indeed. Lying to people to get them to give you money is...well...

we all know quite well the true nature of Donald Trump. A cheap con. Nothing more than a petty criminal. The fact he was president, though, and the fact that he planned and incited an insurrection kind of magnifies all that.

That is what we get for allowing Russia to meddle, allowing Comey to get away with the 'October surprise' against Clinton, and allowing an antiquated electoral college vote to put Trump in office when he lost the popular vote.

Pathetic, really.

You know, Trump won't ever have another good day. Never. Criminal charges, lawsuits, fines - in the end his whole house of cards will be brought down. I'm not sure if he will do any real time in prison, but his downfall will be slow and painful.

[Rhiannon12866]

19. Twitter replies:

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[ExWhoDoesntCare]

20. Hm.

Swindling at its core is raising money for X, but actually using it for Y. It can take many forms.

The question is why Jack Smith now finds it interesting that TFG might have raised money for one thing after losing the election, but used it for something else. I seem to recall TFG screeching for lawyer money at the time; however, consider the end date these sources are pointing toward: J6. Isn't Smith investigating J6 (and who knows what else)?

Which makes me wonder if it's possible Smith has found evidence that the money for lawyers went to organizing or otherwise propping up the J6 insurrection instead?

That would be a classic case of fraud. And a whole lot more.

Stay tuned, folks. This one could prove more interesting than it seems at first glance.

[republianmushroom]

21. Instead of all these new charges being investigated, how about just

one that puts his ass in jail ?
26 months and counting

[LiberalFighter]

22. I'm sure DOJ can handle more than one areas of crimes.