A Democratic-aligned political action committee filed a complaint with federal election regulators accusing Donald Trump, his campaign and the social media site X of violating federal election laws during Trump’s interview with tech billionaire Elon Musk.
Trump’s lengthy interview with Musk on Monday “violated” federal rules banning corporations from making contributions to federal candidates, and barring federal candidates from accepting such contributions, alleged the complaint filed Tuesday by the group End Citizens United.
The group said the interview “amounted to a virtual campaign event for Donald J. Trump financed by X.”
“Such a brazen corporate contribution undermines the anti-corruption aims of the Act, and the [Federal Election] Commission should immediately investigate these violations and take appropriate remedial action,” the complaint said.
Campaign Treasurer Bradley T. Crate was also named in the complaint.
[…]
The complaint alleges that a “contribution” — which corporations are banned from making to candidates — includes “‘anything of value’ provided to a federal candidate in connection with their election.”
[…]
Tiffany Muller, president of the group, which is supporting Kamala Harris in the race, told The Washington Post in a statement that the interview could “set a dangerous precedent for unfettered, direct corporate engagement in campaigns.”
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The FEC’s six commissioners, who are frequently divided along ideological lines, often deadlock on high-profile and matters, too, with tie votes of 3-3 leading to the dismissal of a case.
This is just so American.
Exactly my thought on reading the article.
In the US, even regulatory capture follows partisan divisions… Insanity.
Well, trump had to find a way to break the law everyday. He just did it with an elon.
The Felon and the Elon
Giving Lady and the Tramp vibes
I think you mean Tramp & the Tramp. :) None of them will ever be as classy as a Lady.
As much as I love seeing Trump get into hot water, how is this different than a TV station interviewing him?
I know it’s hard to read an article that is expressly linked so I did the very minimum and scanned it for you. Yes, this is condescension.
The filing jabbed Musk and his app, noting in the “facts” section that the interview “generated headlines” but was “marred with technical issues that featured express advocacy by X owner Elon Musk to support the Trump Campaign.”
And, emphasis mine:
The Commission has held that activities involving the participation of a federal candidate result in contributions 'if the activities involve i) the solicitation, making, or acceptance of contributions to the candidate’s campaign, or ii) communications expressly advocating the nomination, election, or defeat of any candidate."
Biden went on late night with Seth Meyers, a show that routinely advocates against Trump. This just feels like a nonsense complaint
Remind me - Did CBS (or abc or whatever channel that is on) and Seth Myers show pledge 45 million a month to the Biden campaign? (Yes I’m aware Musk’s was said to be later reduced)