Rachel Maddow Show Covers Jesse Benton Scandal

[helmuth_hubener]

Is it illegal for campaigns to bribe people, then?

Could you give us a definition of bribery?

You make a bribe for official action by a public official. Campaigns are private. If you pay Tiger Woods for an endorsement, that is not a bribe.

So your answer is that it would be illegal for campaigns to bribe people, but to define bribery in such a way that essentially no campaign would ever want to do it.

So it's illegal, but for all practical purposes irrelevant (because it will never happen, as you have defined it).

I suppose that's an answer.

I have another question for you, Galileo: Do you approve of what Jesse Benton and the Ron Paul campaign did? Regardless of what you want to call it (Oh no, it's not bribery! Oh, no, certainly not that!), do you approve of what they did?

 

[Galileo Galilei]

So your answer is that it would be illegal for campaigns to bribe people, but to define bribery in such a way that essentially no campaign would ever want to do it.

So it's illegal, but for all practical purposes irrelevant (because it will never happen, as you have defined it).

I suppose that's an answer.

I have another question for you, Galileo: Do you approve of what Jesse Benton and the Ron Paul campaign did? Regardless of what you want to call it (Oh no, it's not bribery! Oh, no, certainly not that!), do you approve of what they did?

hiring people to do campaign work is not bribery. No. It was a smart move to hire Sorenson, but the low-level creeps should have just paid him a salary without the financial shenanigans. This looks like a set-up of Jesse Benton, Ron Paul, Rand Paul, and Mitch McConnell.

 

[kylejack]

hiring people to do campaign work is not bribery. No. It was a smart move to hire Sorenson, but the low-level creeps should have just paid him a salary without the financial shenanigans. This looks like a set-up of Jesse Benton, Ron Paul, Rand Paul, and Mitch McConnell.

What is the value of political endorsement that is being paid for? Doesn't it negate the value?

People see someone they respect endorse another politician and think okay, if they respect this person then I will give them a try as well...but isn't that completely negated if they were paid to endorse the person? What's the point in putting any credit in an endorsement like that? If a person's endorsement is for sale to the highest bidder then why should a voter care who they endorse?

 

[cajuncocoa]

What is the value of political endorsement that is being paid for? Doesn't it negate the value?

People see someone they respect endorse another politician and think okay, if they respect this person then I will give them a try as well...but isn't that completely negated if they were paid to endorse the person? What's the point in putting any credit in an endorsement like that? If a person's endorsement is for sale to the highest bidder then why should a voter care who they endorse?

They shouldn't. Endorsements don't matter.

 

[kylejack]

They shouldn't. Endorsements don't matter.

If Ron Paul endorsed someone I would take a look at them and see if I agree and possibly send them some money. But not if they were paying him to make the endorsement.

 

[helmuth_hubener]

It was a smart move to hire Sorenson

So your answer is yes, you approve of what Jesse Benton and the Ron Paul campaign did.

I cordially but very strongly disagree.

But, not everyone values honesty. I understand.

but the low-level creeps should have just paid him a salary without the financial shenanigans.

That is extremely bad advice. I don't think you've thought this through.

This looks like a set-up of Jesse Benton, Ron Paul, Rand Paul, and Mitch McConnell.

I feel I must humbly and gently inform you that the only eyes to which this "looks like" this are your own peepers. It's OK -- age will do that to the peepers. Obviously, though, to be at all credible to the rest of us at RPF you ought to keep these delusional theories and perceptions under wraps.

 

[phill4paul]

hiring people to do campaign work is not bribery. No. It was a smart move to hire Sorenson, but the low-level creeps should have just paid him a salary without the financial shenanigans. This looks like a set-up of Jesse Benton, Ron Paul, Rand Paul, and Mitch McConnell.

Oh, your posts just get better and better. Thanks for the chuckles.

 

[thoughtomator]

I thought Benton was a creep from Day 1, because he seemed to think the people who were most important were those deeply embedded in the establishment that hates RP. If "Establishment GOP liason" wasn't his job.

 

[Christian Liberty]

Would Ron be offended if we insult his granddaughter's husband? I wonder....

 

[jllundqu]

I could care less if Ron Paul is offended if we insult Benedict Benton...

You buy the ticket? You take the ride! Benton made his bed, he can sleep in it. Ron Paul inspired the masses precisely because he abhorred dirty politics... Benton shit all over that principle.

 

[Christian Liberty]

I could care less if Ron Paul is offended if we insult Benedict Benton...

You buy the ticket? You take the ride! Benton made his bed, he can sleep in it. Ron Paul inspired the masses precisely because he abhorred dirty politics... Benton shit all over that principle.

Good point.

 

[jmdrake]

There was no "bribery". It is not illegal for campaigns to hire people for services.

Kent Sorrenson plead guilty to something. Whether you think its legal or not....it's not.

 

[Natural Citizen]

.... Benedict Benton...

That's pretty good. Heh...

 

[Galileo Galilei]

Kent Sorrenson plead guilty to something. Whether you think its legal or not....it's not.

Yes, but Sorenson pled guilty to something that makes him and him only culpable, unlike bribery which would involve another person, as I have been saying all along.

 

[extortion17]

. . . because Bachmann's voters pretty much went to Rick Santorum. Which, Ron Paul 2012 could have spent $73,000 on ads attacking Rick Santorum in Iowa, but waited until after the state to waste funds attacking him in states like South Carolina and Michigan. States Ron Paul had no chance of actually winning.

Rick "man on dog sex" Santorum needed no attack ads in Iowa, the caucus state that RP won all the caucus delegates at the GOP National Convention in Tampa . . .
Sanatorium did fill the gap in the caucus night because he was propped up by Hannity and CBS in the hours/days before the media spin.

My point is that Iowa is always a bad example - it is a caucus state that decides it's delegates in June . . .
don't be fooled by Iowa's self-claim of grandiose importance . . .

California baby . . . Rand can win in Cali and the GOP knows that . . . the general election electoral college map with Cali in red -

Rachel Maddow and all of MSNBC justs wants to play to it's audience, let them feast on her regurgitation of mostly useless information - imho anyhoo.

 

[extortion17]

I could care less if Ron Paul is offended if we insult Benedict Benton...

You buy the ticket? You take the ride! Benton made his bed, he can sleep in it. Ron Paul inspired the masses precisely because he abhorred dirty politics... Benton shit all over that principle.

Good point.

Yeah, that was put great . . .

worth repeating . . .

Ron Paul inspired the masses precisely because he abhorred dirty politics

 

[kylejack]

Yes, but Sorenson pled guilty to something that makes him and him only culpable, unlike bribery which would involve another person, as I have been saying all along.

If Sorenson caused someone to file a false FEC report, then that means someone filed a false FEC report. I think we both know that Sorenson didn't trick or bamboozle the campaign into thinking they were buying video services when they were actually buying his endorsement. Someone on the campaign knew what they were buying and filed the report wrong to fool the public and the FEC.

So once again, NO, it is not something which makes only him culpable.

 

[kylejack]

I think Santorum's success in Iowa was sort of an exasperation vote by Christian social conservatives. They didn't love Santorum, but Romney was seen as too liberal.

 

[dannno]

Dirty politics is only bad when they take away your freedom. That said, it should only be done responsibly.

 

[jbauer]

Would Ron be offended if we insult his granddaughter's husband? I wonder....

I really don't give a RATS ASS what Ron thinks. Benton used donated money by members on this forum to the tune of $73k to bribe a state senator...can't figure out why anyone let alone a state senator would be worth $73k anyway with 6 days till the vote?

I hope Benton goes to jail right along with Sorenson. I hope they get to be bunk buddies with Bertha, the 350 pound man with a 18" dick. Enjoy!! exactly what you deserve you POS.