Who's guilty of Pay to Play?

Fogdog said:
Pay to play is a crime when money is donated or gifts are given that is linked directly to a favor or action on the part of a government official. Both the official and the donor/briber are culpable.

It's called a donation when a donor gives money to promote a cause that benefits them. Right now, there are almost no limits on those donations. Whether or not those donations are smart bets, I don't know, most times there is not a huge benefit to being the big spender in specific ballot measures or candidates. Meg Whitman wasn't able to buy the governorship of California, for instance.

Trump was not fined for his attempt at pay to play. His foundation donated to a candidate, which it could not legally do:
http://crooksandliars.com/2016/09/trump-foundation-fined-real-pay-play

In 2013, the foundation sent a $25,000 donation to Pam Bondi, Florida's attorney general, for her re-election campaign, according to the report. Foundations which are tax-exempt under 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code are not permitted to make donations to political candidates, but the Trump Foundation did it anyway. Maybe Donald didn't have the cash on hand.

Trump was very interested in supporting Bondi's bid for election, because there was a Trump University case pending before her office at the very same time. After receiving that sizable donation, Bondi declined to prosecute the case.

This is a slimy pay to play act, but hard to prove, so he is guilty of the appearance of corruption but not convicted of such.
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I don't agree with it, just don't hate the player...
 
LostInEthereal said:
Depends where you are at my friend. Even in the puritan nation of the US, you can still have legal sex with a prostitute in certain parts of Nevada. With obvious legality in places elsewhere abroad (outside the US).



They are likely nearly the same in that regard. Hillary and her foundation (as well as husband and former President), have done a lot of shady things. Bush has as well, but mostly under the marionetting of Cheney, and others. Which does make Hillary worse than Bush I believe. Willingness versus ineptitude.
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So Bush was too dumb to blame? lol.
 
Wilderb said:
So Bush was too dumb to blame? lol.
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No brother, that's not what I mean exactly even though it was basically what I said. Just like "oh I was drunk" isn't a great excuse for doing something wrong, neither is incompetence. And I think that is more at play with the case of Bush.

*does Bush's goofy hand gesture*

And there I did it again. What I mean is I think Hillary has more than a willingness to promote war and bad-doing, I think Bush was just more likely to agree and go along with the suggestion.
 
LostInEthereal said:
No brother, that's not what I mean exactly even though it was basically what I said. Just like "oh I was drunk" isn't a great excuse for doing something wrong, neither is incompetence. And I think that is more at play with the case of Bush.

*does Bush's goofy hand gesture*

And there I did it again. What I mean is I think Hillary has more than a willingness to promote war and bad-doing, I think Bush was just more likely to agree and go along with the suggestion.
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I don't disagree about clinton and her willingness to war. Not a fan at all.
Bush was a fucking idiot. Cheney definitely ran the show.(and lost emails, deleted emails, refused to testify when subpoenaed, etc)
But given a choice between her and trump, I can't do trump. Nuclear war is a important deal breaker.
 
Wilderb said:
I don't disagree about clinton and her willingness to war. Not a fan at all.
Bush was a fucking idiot. Cheney definitely ran the show.(and lost emails, deleted emails, refused to testify when subpoenaed, etc)
But given a choice between her and trump, I can't do trump. Nuclear war is a important deal breaker.
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I agree, but I do wonder how serious Trump is (duh he's a clown).. I mean all politicians flip-flop, but not with each passing paragraph. I sometimes let my imagination wonder and think of Trump as a plant from the Clinton's (he did meet with Bill in '15), and my god I would vote for her in that case, the cunning to fool a nation. I like that version the best, lol.
 
LostInEthereal said:
I agree, but I do wonder how serious Trump is (duh he's a clown).. I mean all politicians flip-flop, but not with each passing paragraph. I sometimes let my imagination wonder and think of Trump as a plant from the Clinton's (he did meet with Bill in '15), and my god I would vote for her in that case, the cunning to fool a nation. I like that version the best, lol.
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I would not be shocked to find that out, lol
 
Wilderb said:
I would not be shocked to find that out, lol
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As shocked as you were I'm sure when you heard about the $50 paid 'supporters' he used at once of his early conventions, and maybe even his presidential announcement? Can't believe it's been that long already, and indeed this soon coming up! Holy shit!
 
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