(12-15-2018, 03:31 PM)Rajvik Wrote: The problem with the general argument Rob, is that it is not illegal to pay some one to sign and be beholden to an NDA, not even a politician. If it was you would have to indict anyone that used the congressional slush fund that was used for the same purpose, re: about half of both houses. The only way that campaign finance MIGHT be concerned is that Cohen didn't itemize it in his billing. Quite frankly, the lot of you are grasping at straws.
Except that AFAICT it is illegal to offer a campaign contribution beyond a certain value, even if that contribution is a service rather than money. And it's illegal to lie about it to a federal investigator.
Even if Cohen and Trump and the Trump campaign organization had all their paperwork in order, if any of them at any point lied about it to any federal investigator who was duly pursuing the matter that individual is subject to penalties on that matter on its own.
Remember, they couldn't get Al Capone on his smuggling, on his speakeasies, on his murders or on anything else specific on his criminal enterprises. But they could prove he was screwing around knowingly and deliberately with his private taxes.
As for the congressional slush fund? I would be entirely alright with indicting the half of the US Congress that made use of that and make them suffer through the consequences. They are adults, most of them on the far side of their thirties, and they are collectively the legislative branch of a government serving more than 300 million people. They do not get to hide behind claims of youthful indiscretions, they should stand up, accept what blame is rightly theirs and either do better or resign, so that another can be elected who will do better.
It's part of the responsibility that comes with such a position.