Today's version of the AP support for Hillary Clinton comes in an article about Paul Manafort, the chairman of Donald Trump's campaign. The article is about the possibility of illegal lobbying for a foreign nation without proper registration, an act which is a felony. AP points to supposed involvement by Manafort, but they seem to ignore the fact that one of two companies doing the allegedly illegal lobbying is the Podesta Group, and entity co-founded by John Podesta, the chairman of Hillary Clinton's campaign.
Let's simplify the story.
1. Anyone who lobbies for a foreign government or political party is required to register with the US government as a foreign agent. Failure to do so is a felony.
2. About four years ago, a non-profit organization was formed in Europe calling for certain actions with regard to the Ukraine. It is known as the European Centre. It has ties to the political party of the man who used to be president of Ukraine.
3. The European Centre paid millions of dollars to two American lobbying firms. One of the two is the Podesta Group.
4. The Podesta Group was founded by two brothers, one of whom is John Podesta, a long time Washington insider and chairman of Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign.
5. The Podesta Group did NOT register as a foreign agent for Ukraine or any political party as a result of the work it did for the European Centre.
6. According to the AP, Paul Manafort of the Trump campaign introduced the European Centre to the Podesta Group.
That's the whole story. The AP makes a big deal of it because Manafort may have been involved with setting up an arrangement that skirted the law. The AP, however, misses the point of the story. If anyone violated the law, it was the Podesta Group. The Podesta Group either had to register as a foreign agent, or it did not. If the Podesta Group was required to register, then it committed a felony. Manafort, on the other hand, did not commit a crime. Even if Manafort introduced the European Centre to the Podesta Group, he did not have the obligation to register. That obligation belonged only to the Podesta Group. In other words, before Paul Manafort could have done something shady, the Podesta Group founded by Hillary's campaign manager had to first commit a felony.
The AP ignores the possible criminal act by the Podesta Group. The AP even tries to insulate John Podesta from any misdeeds by the Podesta Group by saying that the company was founded just by John Podesta's brother. That, however, is not true. Here's the quote from the website: "The Podesta Group is a lobbying and public affairs firm based in Washington, D.C.. It was founded in 1988 by brothers John Podesta and Tony Podesta"
I don't know the size of the ownership that John Podesta currently holds in the Podesta Group. Nor do I know if John Podesta was aware that the Podesta Group may have violated the criminal law by failing to register that it represented the European Centre. I do know, however, that despite the spin put on this by the AP, the possible criminal activity was by Podesta with its connection to Hillary Clinton and not by Manafort with his connection with Trump.
Someone at the AP did not understand what they were saying.
Let's simplify the story.
1. Anyone who lobbies for a foreign government or political party is required to register with the US government as a foreign agent. Failure to do so is a felony.
2. About four years ago, a non-profit organization was formed in Europe calling for certain actions with regard to the Ukraine. It is known as the European Centre. It has ties to the political party of the man who used to be president of Ukraine.
3. The European Centre paid millions of dollars to two American lobbying firms. One of the two is the Podesta Group.
4. The Podesta Group was founded by two brothers, one of whom is John Podesta, a long time Washington insider and chairman of Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign.
5. The Podesta Group did NOT register as a foreign agent for Ukraine or any political party as a result of the work it did for the European Centre.
6. According to the AP, Paul Manafort of the Trump campaign introduced the European Centre to the Podesta Group.
That's the whole story. The AP makes a big deal of it because Manafort may have been involved with setting up an arrangement that skirted the law. The AP, however, misses the point of the story. If anyone violated the law, it was the Podesta Group. The Podesta Group either had to register as a foreign agent, or it did not. If the Podesta Group was required to register, then it committed a felony. Manafort, on the other hand, did not commit a crime. Even if Manafort introduced the European Centre to the Podesta Group, he did not have the obligation to register. That obligation belonged only to the Podesta Group. In other words, before Paul Manafort could have done something shady, the Podesta Group founded by Hillary's campaign manager had to first commit a felony.
The AP ignores the possible criminal act by the Podesta Group. The AP even tries to insulate John Podesta from any misdeeds by the Podesta Group by saying that the company was founded just by John Podesta's brother. That, however, is not true. Here's the quote from the website: "The Podesta Group is a lobbying and public affairs firm based in Washington, D.C.. It was founded in 1988 by brothers John Podesta and Tony Podesta"
I don't know the size of the ownership that John Podesta currently holds in the Podesta Group. Nor do I know if John Podesta was aware that the Podesta Group may have violated the criminal law by failing to register that it represented the European Centre. I do know, however, that despite the spin put on this by the AP, the possible criminal activity was by Podesta with its connection to Hillary Clinton and not by Manafort with his connection with Trump.
Someone at the AP did not understand what they were saying.
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