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Neither Trump nor his campaign are mentioned by name in the indictment, but details in the 19-page document make it clear that the scheme involved the search for the donation as part of the Trump event and an opportunity to come face to face with it. to face with him.
For example, the indictment’s reference to a donation of $ 25,000 on October 27, 2016 to a political committee by Benton – allegedly to cover up the foreign source of the money – corresponds to a donation from the same. size and the same date on Trump’s political committee. attributed to a “Jesse Bentor,” which prosecutors say is a scramble by the name of Benton.
Nothing in the indictment indicates that Trump or his campaign aides knew the money came from the Russian donor. The charges indicate that Benton and Wead “hid” the arrangement from Trump, and that part of the ploy involved getting political committees to “subconsciously” file reports that Benton was in fact the source of the funds.
The indictment suggests that Benton and Wead hoped to make money from the scheme and did so – taking $ 100,000 from the Russian, but paying only $ 25,000 to Trump Victory, a joint venture between the Trump campaign and the Republican National Committee.
Benton, a veteran of Kentucky and presidential politics, had previously faced federal campaign finance costs for payments to a key Iowa state lawmaker who changed endorsements from Michelle Bachman to Ron Paul during the 2012 GOP presidential primary. Trump, just before stepping down, pardoned Benton for the crimes he was convicted of. Benton is also a brother-in-law and former adviser to Senator Rand Paul (R-Ky.), Who is the son of Ron Paul. Benton previously led Senator Mitch McConnell’s reelection campaign in 2014 before stepping down amid a legal review.
In pardoning Benton and another associate, Trump indicated that the move had the backing of Rand Paul and former FEC chairman Lee Goodman.
The new indictment alleges Benton was implementing the foreign donation program just before and after his two-year probation sentence in the Iowa-related campaign finance case.
Wead is a Conservative commentator and activist who co-authored a book with then-Vice President George HW Bush, published just before Bush became President in 1989. Wead also enjoyed close access to the Trump’s White House during his presidency.
Wead is represented in the case by two former Trump lawyers when he was president, Jay Sekulow and Jane Raskin.
Asked about the charges, Sekulow said in a statement, “Doug Wead is a respected author and supporter of charitable causes. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges and will continue to respond appropriately in court. ”
The case against Benton and Wead has been assigned to Trump-appointed Judge Trevor McFadden.
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