ماذا حدث؟

في يناير 2018، وول ستريت جورنال broke the story that Michael Cohen – who was President Trump’s personal lawyer and a self-described Trump “fix-it guy” in 2016 – had set up a shell company in Delaware (Essential Consultants LLC) back in October 2016. He then arranged a $130,000 payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels through that shell company right before the November 2016 presidential election.

وكانت السيدة دانييلز قد زعمت في وقت سابق أنها كانت على علاقة جنسية مع ترامب في عام 2006. وفي خريف عام 2016، كانت تجري محادثات مع واحدة أو أكثر من وسائل الإعلام الوطنية لنشر قصتها علناً.

كيف استجابت منظمة Common Cause؟

في 22 يناير 2018، أصبحت Common Cause أول منظمة تقدم طلبًا شكوى مع وزارة العدل و شكوى مع زعم لجنة الانتخابات الفيدرالية أن دفع مبلغ $130,000 من شركة Essential Consultants LLC إلى السيدة دانييلز كان مساهمة عينية غير معلنة وغير قانونية لحملة ترامب. وبحسب الشكاوى فإن المبلغ المدفوع كان:

• لغرض التأثير على الانتخابات الرئاسية العامة لعام 2016.
• تم ذلك بالتنسيق مع الحملة عبر محامي ترامب، مايكل كوهين.

At that time, the source of the $130,000 was unknown – and Common Cause named both the Trump Organization and “John Doe” as possible sources. In March 2018, however, based on public statements by Micheal Cohen claiming that he paid the funds to Ms. Daniels, Common Cause amended its complaints to allege an illegally large in-kind contribution from Cohen to the Trump campaign.

من الواضح أن الأموال تم دفعها لأن فريق ترامب كان يخشى أن يؤدي ظهور قصتها قبل انتخابات عام 2016 مباشرة إلى تدمير فرصة ترامب في أن يصبح رئيسًا. That makes the payment a campaign contribution – and the Trump campaign’s failure to disclose it to the Federal Election Commission illegal.

وإذا كانت الأموال جاءت من محامي ترامب مايكل كوهين، كما يدعي كوهين، فإنها تجاوزت الحد القانوني للهدايا الانتخابية بأكثر من 1TP4127000 دولار.

Where can I read the complaints against Trump?

DOJ Complaint, Jan. 2018

FEC Complaint, Jan. 2018

DOJ Complaint, Amended Mar. 2018

FEC Complaint, Amended Mar. 2018

لماذا هذا مهم؟

We deserve a democracy where candidates for office – and especially candidates for president – are held to the highest ethical standards. Looking the other way and letting Trump and his associates get away with an alleged violation of campaign finance law would set a dangerous precedent.

في social media post on March 18, 2023, Trump told his followers that he expected to be arrested as part of the Manhattan District Attorney’s investigation into the payment to Stormy Daniels. He called on his supporters to protest in response – and even urged them to “take our nation back.”

We cannot let Trump intimidate his way out of accountability and blatantly subvert the rule of law. This and every investigation into his conduct – including his actions surrounding the January 6th insurrection and his attempts to change 2020 election results in Georgia – must proceed unobstructed.

Common Cause has fought for over 50 years to put a stop to corruption and make our government more transparent. With your help, we can do it again.