Jesse Benton, Dimitri Kesari, and John Tate have been convicted

[kylejack]

In the payment for endorsement scheme.

https://twitter.com/GrantMRodgers/status/728264693903548417
https://twitter.com/GrantMRodgers/status/728266201034461190
https://twitter.com/GrantMRodgers/status/728266927982792706

 

[Brian4Liberty]

Hillary Clinton could hand out those big 4 foot checks in exchange for endorsements on national TV every day of the week and there would never be an indictment or prosecution. She could also take huge bribes in exchange for favors. Oh wait, everyone knows about that already.

 

[phill4paul]

A court of law has determined he is innocent. When it comes to breaking the law, that is all that matters.

http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showth...sse-Benton-acquitted-in-Iowa-corruption-trial

What say you now [MENTION=991]Matt Collins[/MENTION].

 

[Brian4Liberty]

http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showth...sse-Benton-acquitted-in-Iowa-corruption-trial

What say you now [MENTION=991]Matt Collins[/MENTION].

My first thought was double-jeopardy, but I assume they found some way around that. Where there's a will, there's a way.

 

[Matt Collins]

Here are the details to the story:

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/st...sse-benton-dimitri-kesari-john-tate/83968234/



If a court of law found them guilty then under the law they are guilty.

 

[Brian4Liberty]

Here are the details to the story:

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/st...sse-benton-dimitri-kesari-john-tate/83968234/



If a court of law found them guilty then under the law they are guilty.

Guess they were extra motivated to hunt down political corruption...

The trial was a rare second try for the federal government to convict the operatives after an earlier prosecution last year ended with mixed results. A grand jury indicted the three operatives on several charges that were first announced on Aug. 5, including conspiracy, causing false records, causing false campaign expenditure reports and false statements scheme.

But U.S. District Judge John Jarvey dismissed the charges entirely against Tate and all but one charge against Benton ahead of a trial that began in October.

The dismissals, which left the door open for new prosecutions using different evidence, came after Jarvey found prosecutors wrongly used evidence gathered in FBI interviews with Benton and Tate to secure indictments from the grand jury. Both operatives participated in the interviews after signing so-called proffer agreements that bar prosecutors from using their statements as evidence against them in a wide variety of charges, according to the Associated Press.

Benton was acquitted at the first trial of a single count of lying to FBI agents.

Interesting. So dismissing the charges before a trial that would probably result in a loss for the prosecution allows them to regroup and try it again.

 

[cajuncocoa]

Hillary Clinton could hand out those big 4 foot checks in exchange for endorsements on national TV every day of the week and there would never be an indictment or prosecution. She could also take huge bribes in exchange for favors. Oh wait, everyone knows about that already.

I never did care for the "she did it, so I should be able to get away with it too" defense. Maybe Hillary's judgment day is yet to come. I hope it does, but if not, that still doesn't excuse Jesse Benton.

 

[Brian4Liberty]

I never did care for the "she did it, so I should be able to get away with it too" defense. Maybe Hillary's judgment day is yet to come. I hope it does, but if not, that still doesn't excuse Jesse Benton.

Not meant as a defense at all. More a statement about unequal enforcement of the law.

 

[younglibertarian]

Wonder if Ron ever knew about this.

 

[phill4paul]

Wonder if Ron ever knew about this.

I doubt it. This was handled at the RonPaul, Inc. level. I don't think he payed much attention to the day to day operation.

 

[LibertyEagle]

I think this is sad.

 

[timosman]

They should have invited Sorenson to give a 1hr speech for the staffers at a heavily discounted rate. Or that would be illegal too?

 

[phill4paul]

Wonder if Ron ever knew about this.

From 2014.

On the stand, Mr. Paul seemed barely to know who Mr. Sorenson was. He recalled being annoyed by the suddenness of a news conference called for Mr. Sorenson to endorse him in December 2011, days before the Iowa caucuses.

He denied any knowledge of payments made for the endorsement. Asked by the defense if he felt victimized by former aides, Mr. Paul, a lifelong critic of federal overreach, grew animated. “I blame the government,” he said. “How can I be a victim of my staff?”

Mr. Paul said he took a dim view of all political endorsements, recalling a 1996 race for Congress, when Newt Gingrich, then speaker of the House, lined up endorsements for a rival in the Republican primary. Mr. Paul said his sole endorsement was by the baseball pitcher Nolan Ryan — and he won.

http://www.nytimes.com/politics/fir...ies-reluctantly-at-trial-of-his-former-aides/

 

[Peace&Freedom]

Not meant as a defense at all. More a statement about unequal enforcement of the law.

Indeed. if this were Hillary who was facing these charges, they would still be "investigating" the matter years later, with no wrap up in sight.

 

[Matt Collins]

Yeah they probably shouldn't have done it, but you do realize that? ....

1 - this law is unconstitutional. The Constitution does not give the federal government the authority to regulate campaigns

2- this is purely politically motivated. The case against Jesse was already thrown out previously, but they decided to try again.

 

[LibertyEagle]

Yeah they probably shouldn't have done it, but you do realize that? ....

1 - this law is unconstitutional. The Constitution does not give the federal government the authority to regulate campaigns

2- this is purely politically motivated. The case against Jesse was already thrown out previously, but they decided to try again.

When is the sentencing? Do you know?

 

[New York For Paul]

Endorsements tend to be overrated. Reagan was barely endorsed by anyone early on. Well many people tried to warn the campaign about problems.

 

[erowe1]

Yeah they probably shouldn't have done it, but you do realize that? ....

1 - this law is unconstitutional. The Constitution does not give the federal government the authority to regulate campaigns

2- this is purely politically motivated. The case against Jesse was already thrown out previously, but they decided to try again.

You're probably right.

But the good news is that we hopefully won't have to ever worry about Benton's slimy paws touching another campaign of Rand's. Don't you agree?

 

[phill4paul]

Endorsements tend to be overrated. Reagan was barely endorsed by anyone early on. Well many people tried to warn the campaign about problems.

Yeah, well that was $73k worth of overrated donated by thin pockets.

 

[Feelgood]

Yeah they probably shouldn't have done it, but you do realize that? ....

1 - this law is unconstitutional. The Constitution does not give the federal government the authority to regulate campaigns

Constitution? What's that?