You know how the media and anti-Trump activists have a habit of finding problems in everything he does? Well, a recent clip showing the former president giving a woman $100 towards her grocery bill has landed him in new trouble.
Donald Trump recently found himself at the center of controversy after he pulled out a $100 bill to help a woman pay for her groceries at a store in Pennsylvania. While many saw the gesture as an act of goodwill, some took to social media to claim that his action was illegal, alleging that it could be interpreted as bribery since Trump is a presidential candidate.
According to these critics, offering money or anything of value in exchange for a vote violates federal election laws, specifically the Federal Election Campaign Act, which prohibits such actions to ensure free and fair elections. Both the person offering the bribe and the recipient could, in theory, face legal consequences.
However, legal experts have largely dismissed these claims. Hans von Spakovsky, a former head of the Federal Election Commission, called the accusations “absurd.” He argued that Trump was simply making a charitable gesture and that no federal election laws were violated. Spakovsky emphasized that Trump was responding to the woman’s financial situation and not attempting to exchange money for a vote.
Election law expert Mike Dimino, a professor at Widener University Commonwealth Law School, echoed this sentiment, stating that while it is illegal to pay someone for their vote, Trump’s gesture did not appear to meet the legal criteria for bribery.
Dimino explained that if such acts were illegal, candidates would be barred from making charitable donations or even tipping service workers. He concluded that Trump’s action seemed to be a public relations move to address rising grocery prices rather than a quid pro quo exchange for votes.
In the end, it appears that Trump’s act of paying $100 toward the woman’s groceries, while sparking debate, does not violate election laws, according to legal experts.
But that didn’t stop this whole debate from happening – and we’ll no doubt hear about this for years.
Can you believe this crap?
