[Hoot Gibson]

Unsurprisingly, there has been a big "No comment" from the same BGR lefties attacking Matt Gaetz based on unsubstantiated rumors. Regardless of what the House Ethics Committee's report concludes, it is wrong to make criminal accusations with zero evidence.

In the case of Kamala Harris, we have overwhelming evidence that she bought celebrity endorsements using campaign funds. Her donors had no opportunity to object to the misuse of their donations. Did she simply exercise poor judgment, or did Kamala break finance campaign laws in bribing celebrities in exchange for their endorsements? I am not in a position to make that judgment because I do not have access to the campaign spending records and I am not a lawyer, but I will share my research with you.

It is not legal for a presidential candidate to spend campaign funds directly in exchange for endorsements from American citizens. Campaign finance laws in the United States prohibit the use of campaign funds for personal benefit or for purposes that are not campaign-related. Paying individuals for endorsements would likely be considered an improper use of campaign funds, as it could be seen as a form of bribery or coercion.

Endorsements are generally expected to be given voluntarily based on a person's beliefs, values, or support for the candidate. While campaign funds can be used for legitimate campaign expenses, such as advertising, staffing, and events, paying for endorsements crosses ethical and legal boundaries.

Key Points:

1. Campaign Finance Laws:
   • If campaign funds are used to pay for celebrity endorsements, this must be properly reported to the Federal Election Commission (FEC) as a campaign expense. Failure to disclose payments or disguising them as something else can lead to violations of campaign finance law.
     
     
2. Criminal vs. Civil:
   
3. Civil Violation: If the payments are not properly disclosed but no fraudulent intent is proven, it may result in civil penalties, such as fines or other administrative actions by the FEC.
   
   
4. Criminal Violation: If the payment involves deliberate fraud, misreporting, or an intent to deceive (e.g., laundering money through shell organizations or disguising the nature of the expense), it can rise to the level of a criminal offense. Criminal charges could include fraud, bribery, or violations of federal election laws.
   
   
5. Influence and Transparency:
   • Paying celebrities for endorsements is legal in commercial contexts, but in political campaigns, it must adhere to strict transparency and reporting rules. Any attempt to buy endorsements secretly or circumvent these rules could have legal consequences.
     

Conclusion:

• Transparent and properly reported payments for endorsements are legal and civil in nature.
  
  
• Non-compliance with reporting requirements or fraudulent actions could result in criminal charges, depending on intent and severity.
  
  
• $10 million in exchange for one of many purchased celebrity endorsements may be interpreted as a severe and intentional violation.
  
  
• Campaign finance laws are enacted to protect politicians who vote for them. They are written to make it more difficult for challengers to beat incumbent holders of elective office. Consequently, it is unlikely that Biden's FEC will criminally charge Kamala Harris for bribing celebrities who endorsed her, and in some cases also interviewed her after accepting bribes.