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Title: Court upholds convictions of 2012 Ron Paul campaign staffers
Source:
elpasoinc.com
URL Source: http://www.elpasoinc.com/news/ap_wi ... 54-5465-9417-68301c5b57b1.html
Published: Jun 16, 2018
Author: DAVID PITT
Post Date: 2018-07-08 04:20:34 by Gatlin
Keywords: None
Views: 2833
Comments: 38
Campaign chairman Jesse Benton, campaign manager John Tate and deputy campaign manager Dimitri Kesari were convicted in 2016 of causing false records to be filed, causing false campaign expenditure reports, engaging in a false statements scheme and conspiring to commit the offenses. Kesari was sentenced to three months in prison while the other two got probation. They have completed their sentences but are seeking to clear the felony convictions from their records. The three argued that they broke no laws when they paid a video production company, which passed on $73,000 to then-Iowa state Sen. Kent Sorenson, who withdrew his support from Michele Bachmann and backed Paul six days before the 2012 Iowa caucuses. Sorenson also was convicted in the scheme and sentenced to 15 months in prison. He was released in April. Benton, Tate and Kesari contend that campaigns pay vendors who pass money on to subcontractors all the time and there's nothing illegal about it. Prosecutors said it was illegal to cause the campaign to file inaccurate documents to try to hide that Sorensen was paid for a campaign endorsement. A three-member panel of the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals in St. Louis on Friday upheld the rulings and conclusions of Judge John Jarvey, finding no reversible errors and that there is ample evidence to uphold their convictions. The men argued that Jarvey erred in denying their motions to dismiss the charges and for a new trial. They also challenged the judge's rulings on jury instructions and certain evidence. Among the things they challenged was whether prosecutors could apply a federal financial fraud false reporting statute to campaign expenditure reports and whether that violation falls under the jurisdiction of the Federal Election Commission. The appeals court concluded that "the production of false financial records by a political campaign falls within that framework." The judges also concluded that the FEC does have jurisdiction over campaign expenditures and the authority to establish penalties for false reporting. "I think there's a danger this opinion criminalizes some very normal activity on political campaigns," said Kesari's attorney, Jesse Ryan Binnall. "And now people on campaigns have a very real concern that if for whatever reason somebody in the Department of Justice doesn't like them, that they could pursue criminal charges against them." Binnall said Kesari is considering whether to appeal Friday's ruling. "We continue to believe that Mr. Kesari did nothing illegal," he said. Attorneys for Benton and Tate didn't immediately reply to messages seeking comment. Sorenson, 46, was convicted of willfully causing false expenditure reports to the FEC and falsifying records in contemplation of or relation to a federal investigation intending to obstruct justice. DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A federal appeals court on Friday upheld the convictions of three top staffers on Ron Paul's 2012 presidential campaign who were found guilty of arranging for money to be funneled through a vendor to an influential Iowa state senator who dropped his support for another Republican candidate in favor of Paul.
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#1. To: Gatlin (#0)
And remember -- NO SLEEPING IN BEDS uhh {edit} WIF SHEETS!
Please don't feed the troll.
It is however seemingly odd that a libertarian who allegedly believes so dearly in the Constitution which of course has some amendments, known as the Bill of Rights that includes the right to free speech….wishes to suppress an individual’s Freedom of Speech. It is extremely sad that I must remind you, of all people, that Freedom of speech is an underlying principle that supports the freedom of an individual to articulate his opinions and ideas without intimidation, retaliation, censorship, sanction or interference. You really need to please cease trying to control what people have the freedom to say and respond to….it is SO un-libertarian of you. Don’t you agree?
It is however seemingly odd that a libertarian who allegedly believes so dearly in the Constitution which of course has some amendments, known as the Bill of Rights that includes the right to free speech….wishes to suppress an individual’s Freedom of Speech. You are perfectly within your rights to post your trash here - we as readers also have the right to ignore said trash and mock your goofiness. You really need to please cease trying to control what people have the freedom to say and respond to….it is SO un-libertarian of you. No one is trying to control you freedom-hater, stop your incessant whining. Don’t you agree? Yes - we agree that you are a troll.
But you do need to keep up and understand what is under discussion at this time. I am not being ignored or mocked…..there is a blatant effort to suppress the speech of those who wish to freely respond to my posts. I have shown this to be factual and you should understand that since you normally dwell on every word I post. You libertarians are so imbecilic.
Where in the world did you find that idea?
Where in the world did you find that idea? Tater peeling is the single foremost thought always in your mind. You have made that abundantly clear, lamebrain. Check your posts to see that’s true.
It shows, in your every post.
The guy is obviously self obsessed. He is popularly known as a "narcissist." And his comments don't mean a fucking thing to anyone on the planet but himself.
They mean “nothing” to you libertarians because not one of you can ever dispute the factual information in those articles. All any of you can do is post stupid memes, make smart-assed comments about peeling potatoes and launch a barrage of personal attacks. Open question – If libertarianism is so damned wonderfully great, the why in the Hell can’t any of you DEFEND against attacks made on it?
Boss Gatlin
#24. To: hondo68, Everyone (#22)
If flippant memes meant anything, then maybe they could win a victory for libertarians and they would have been in power long ago. But flippant memes don’t mean shit and any lofty hopes libertarians had in 2016 went out with a whimper, as they garnered less than 4% of th popular vote total and not ONE electoral college vote in one of the most shocking outcomes in recent political history….which saw Donald Trump elected President in stunning repudiation of the establishment. “Boss Gatlin”….NO, it’s “Hail TO The Chief” Donald Trump.
Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/Latestconvicted of willfully causing false expenditure reports
#2. To: VxH (#1)
#3. To: Tooconservative, VxH, Everyone (#2)
Please don't feed the troll.
It has been said that libertarians believe that all people have the right to freely offer goods and services on the market and that free-market approaches are the most effective at improving people’s lives.
#5. To: Gatlin, Tooconservative (#3)
(Edited)
Please don't feed the troll.
#6. To: Deckard, Tooconservative, Everyone (#5)
(Edited)
You are perfectly within your rights to post your trash here - we as readers also have the right to ignore said trash and mock your goofiness.
You do have that right and you truly make complete asses of yourselves with the pathetic inability to counter my intelligent and thought provoking posts. The best any of you can do is post stupid memes and engage in personal attacks on me….which are both humorous, when considering the sources. No one is trying to control you freedom-hater, stop your incessant whining.
Oh, but someone is DEFINITELY attempting to stifle the freedom of those responding to my posts. You talk about freedom-hating….now, Bub, that REALLY freedom hating.
#9. To: Gatlin (#6)
(Edited)
... my [Gatlin] intelligent and thought provoking posts.
#11. To: buckeroo (#9)
... my [Gatlin] intelligent and thought provoking posts.
It’s God given....and since you do not believe in God, that probably is the reason you have none.
#17. To: Gatlin, taters are people too, tater lives matter (#11)
Tater peeling is the single foremost thought always
#20. To: hondo68 (#17)
#21. To: buckeroo in self-imposed exile and all other libertarians (#20)
And his comments don't mean a fucking thing to anyone on the planet but himself.
Yes, the comments I post from others showing the faults with libertarianism mean something to me because the articles I post show the true face of libertarianism and I continue to learn what an insignificant philosophy it really is.
#22. To: Gatlin, Bozoed the World (#21)
Replies to Comment # 22.
End Trace Mode for Comment # 22.
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