Are there any legal restrictions on paying politicians for endorsements?

[HeartachesNhangovers]

Either in a primary election (I assume not), or a general election? I assume that payments would have to be disclosed, although they could also be disguised as support money from a PAC or other source, rather than as a payoff to give an endorsement. I also assume that a candidate could pay for an endorsement from a non-politician - for example a celebrity or a religious figure - without restriction.

I have no knowledge that this has happened, but I'm curious because of all of the very rich candidates in this primary election, and the apparent trend for very rich people to seek high office in the US.

No speculation about any candidates please. I just want to know if it is legal or not.

[PoliticAverse]

1. Experts know how to get around "legal restrictions". n/t

[jmg257]

2. A good read - not exactly clear on what is legal, but it happens ALL THE TIME. Consultant$$

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/12/us/politics/bernie-sanders-tom-steyer-south-carolina.html

"Campaigns regularly enter into financial dealings with companies and business owners as they build out operations in primary states; they also seek the endorsements of popular lawmakers of all races, some of whom also work in public relations, consulting or similar fields where payments can be routed.

Even legal and fully disclosed payments, however, can raise questions about whether endorsements are heartfelt or driven by financial considerations.

...as well as recent history — reveal that such consulting deals are fairly commonplace in South Carolina.

In 2007, Hillary Clinton defended her South Carolina presidential campaign against allegations of endorsement-buying after her campaign entered a $10,000-a-month consulting contract with state Senator Darrell Jackson, a Columbia lawmaker and pastor who also operated a consulting company.

“Senator Jackson was someone who was involved in my husband’s campaigns,” Mrs. Clinton said at the time. “He was someone we turned to for political advice and counsel and I’m proud to have him on my team.”

At times the practice can cross legal boundaries: A former Iowa state senator was sent to prison in 2017 after a federal investigation revealed he had taken more than $70,000 from Ron Paul’s presidential campaign and that the money had been paid to an audio-visual production company to hide the payment from public view. Three former aides to Mr. Paul were also convicted of public corruption charges."

[HeartachesNhangovers]

3. Thank you. I hadn't seen this since the NYT isn't one of my daily reads.

And I don't remember ever hearing about the Ron Paul incident.

[Recursion]

4. AFAIK there's no law against it

It's odd; I hadn't really thought of it at all before the NYT story