The Steady Drip: FEC Fines Clinton Campaign, DNC for Funding Steele Dossier

FEC Fines Clinton Campaign, DNC for Funding Steele Dossier

By Charlie McCarthy | Wednesday, 30 March 2022 01:46 PM

https://www.newsmax.com/politics/fec-dnc-hillary-clinton-campaign-trump/2022/03/30/id/1063586/

The Federal Election Commission has fined Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential campaign and the Democratic National Committee (DNC) for lying about funding a discredited dossier, which attempted to smear then-candidate Donald Trump, the Washington Examiner reported.

A dossier written by former British intelligence officer Christopher Steele was circulated to the FBI and media outlets before the 2016 election. Its unproven assertions that Russia had embarrassing information about Trump and some of his campaign's advisers were meant to damage Trump.

The FEC said Clinton and the DNC violated strict rules on describing expenditures of payments funneled to the opposition research firm Fusion GPS through their law firm, the Examiner reported Wednesday.

The FEC, in a memo to the Coolidge Reagan Foundation, which filed a complaint more than three years ago, said it fined Clinton's treasurer $8,000 and the DNC's treasurer $105,000.

"This may well be the first time that Hillary Clinton — one of the most evidently corrupt politicians in American history — has actually been held legally accountable, and I'm proud to have forced the FEC to do their job for once," Dan Backer, who brought the complaint on behalf of the foundation, which focuses on free speech and the First Amendment, told the Examiner.

The DNC and Clinton campaign claimed a combined $1,024,407.97 was paid for legal services, not opposition research, to law firm Perkins Coie for Fusion GPS' information.

The money — $849,407.97 from the DNC and $175,000 from the Clinton campaign — covered Fusion GPS' opposition research on the dossier, which fueled the so-called "Russia hoax."

The Clinton campaign and DNC argued they paid for "legal advice and services" because it was Perkins Coie, not them, that hired Fusion GPS. The FEC, however, said the law was clear and violated.

Clinton has in the past defended her campaign's spending for the information and the work of campaign lawyer Marc Elias, who worked for Fusion GPS, which compiled the dossier.

"Solely for the purpose of settling this matter expeditiously and to avoid further legal costs, respondent[s] does not concede, but will not further contest the commission's finding of probable cause to proceed," the FEC said in its memo.

News of the fine came less than a week after Trump sued Clinton and several other Democrats, alleging that they tried to rig the election by tying his campaign to Russia.

"Hillary Clinton and her cronies willfully engaged in the greatest political fraud in history — destroying our nation's faith in the electoral process, and it's high time they were held accountable," Backer told the Examiner. "I hope this is only the beginning."

Igor Danchenko, the primary researcher of the dossier, was arrested in November as part of special counsel John Durham's investigation. Danchenko was charged with "five counts of making false statements to the FBI."

Danchenko provided information to Steele, who compiled the accusations about Trump in a series of reports.

Durham in December told a federal court that, as part of his criminal probe into the origins of the Trump-Russia investigation, he was examining members of Clinton's 2016 presidential campaign.

In February, Durham alleged that indicted former Clinton campaign lawyer Michael Sussmann shared data purported to show rare Russian-made phones being used near the Trump White House as part of an alleged scheme to tie Trump to Russia.

Connecting the Dots:

Hillary Rodham Clinton was the candidate for the 2016 Hillary Rodham Clinton presidential campaign and a director at the Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation.

Ready PAC (Ready For Hillary) supported the 2016 Hillary Rodham Clinton presidential campaign.

George Soros is the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations, a co-chair, national finance council for the Ready PAC (Ready For Hillary) and was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

Open Society Foundations was a funder for the Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Drum Major Institute for Public Policy and the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank).

Jennifer Cunningham is a director at the Drum Major Institute for Public Policy and a managing director at SKDKnickerbocker.

Anita B. Dunn is a managing director at SKDKnickerbocker, married to Robert F. Bauer, was the communications director for the Barack Obama administration and William W. Bradley’s chief of staff.

Robert F. Bauer is married to Anita B. Dunn, a partner at Perkins Coie, the general counsel for the Democratic National Committee (DNC), was the White House counsel for the Barack Obama administration and Barack Obama’s personal counsel.

Perkins Coie hired Fusion GPS to investigate Donald Trump.

Democratic National Committee (DNC) hired Fusion GPS to investigate Trump.

William W. Bradley’s chief of staff was Anita B. Dunn and is a trustee at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank).

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank).

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

James F. Collins is a senior associate at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank) and was a U.S. ambassador for Russia.

Jon M. Huntsman Jr. is a trustee at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank), a director at the National Committee on United States-China Relations, was the China U.S. ambassador for the Barack Obama administration and a distinguished fellow at the Brookings Institution (think tank).

Jessica Tuchman Mathews is the president of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank) and was an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank).

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank) and the Brookings Institution (think tank).

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

Trevor Potter was a fellow at the Brookings Institution (think tank) and the chairman for the Federal Election Commission (FEC).

Bart Friedman is a trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank) and a senior partner at Cahill Gordon & Reindel.

Steven L. Rattner a trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank) and attended Andrew Ross Sorkin’s 2009 book party (Too Big to Fail).

Andrew Ross Sorkin is the author of Too Big to Fail and Laurence T. Sorkin’s son.

Laurence T. Sorkin is Andrew Ross Sorkin’s father and a senior counsel at Cahill Gordon & Reindel.

Ellen L. Weintraub was an attorney at Cahill Gordon & Reindel and is a commissioner for the Federal Election Commission (FEC).

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank), the Brookings Institution (think tank) and the International Rescue Committee.

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

ONE Campaign is a partner with the International Rescue Committee.

Michelle Obama was an advocate for the ONE Campaign, the first lady for the Barack Obama administration and is married to Barack Obama.

Cindy Hensley McCain was an advocate for the ONE Campaign and is married to Senator John S. McCain III.

John S. McCain III is married to Cindy Hensley McCain and a U.S. Senate senator.

John McCain Stays Silent on Involvement in Hoax Trump Dossier After Fusion GPS Revelations

By AARON KLEIN11 Jan 2018

https://www.breitbart.com/middle-east/2018/01/11/john-mccain-stays-silent-involvement-hoax-trump-dossier-fusion-gps-revelations/

Last December, it was revealed that it was McCain who notoriously passed the controversial dossier documents produced by the Washington opposition research firm Fusion GPS to then FBI Director James Comey, whose agency reportedly utilized the dossier as a basis for its probe into alleged Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.

ONE Campaign is a partner with the International Rescue Committee.

Maureen White was a national finance chair for the International Rescue Committee, and a national finance chair for the Democratic National Committee (DNC).

Democratic National Committee (DNC) hired Fusion GPS to investigate Trump.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the International Rescue Committee.

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

ONE Campaign is a partner with the International Rescue Committee.

Michael R. Bloomberg was an advocate for the ONE Campaign and the New York Mayor.

Clifford S. Asness is a director at the International Rescue Committee and supported same-sex marriage in New York.

Paul E. Singer supported same-sex marriage in New York, is a funder for the Washington Free Beacon and an investor in the Washington Free Beacon.

Washington Free Beacon hired Fusion GPS to investigate 2016 Republican presidential candidates, hired in 2015 to investigate GOP candidates.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the International Rescue Committee.

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society, a co-chair, national finance council for the Ready PAC (Ready For Hillary) and is the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations.

Open Society Foundations was a funder for the Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation.

HSBC Holdings plc was a funder for the Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation.

Ready PAC (Ready For Hillary) supported the 2016 Hillary Rodham Clinton presidential campaign.

James B. Comey was a director at the HSBC Holdings plc, investigated, for possible Russian ties in the 2016 Donald Trump presidential campaign, impacted, with announcement about email investigation in the 2016 Hillary Rodham Clinton presidential campaign, a deputy attorney general for the U.S. Department of Justice and a director for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is a division of the U.S. Department of Justice.

Robert S. Mueller III was a director for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), a partner at Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr, is a special counsel at the U.S. Department of Justice, and a special counsel investigating Russian ties in the 2016 Donald Trump presidential campaign.

Cameron F. Kerry was an associate at Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr, is John F. Kerry’s brother, a fellow at the Brookings Institution (think tank) and a senior counsel at Sidley Austin LLP.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Brookings Institution (think tank).

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

Trevor Potter was a fellow at the Brookings Institution (think tank) and the chairman for the Federal Election Commission (FEC).

Barack Obama was an intern at Sidley Austin LLP, Robert F. Bauer was his personal counsel, the president for the Barack Obama administration and is married to Michelle Obama.

Michelle Obama was a lawyer at Sidley Austin LLP, an advocate for the ONE Campaign, the first lady for the Barack Obama administration, and is married to Barack Obama.

ONE Campaign is a partner with the International Rescue Committee.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the International Rescue Committee.

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

Cindy Hensley McCain was an advocate for the ONE Campaign and is married to Senator John S. McCain III.

John S. McCain III is married to Cindy Hensley McCain and a U.S. Senate senator.

Michael R. Bloomberg was an advocate for the ONE Campaign and the New York Mayor.

Clifford S. Asness is a director at the International Rescue Committee and supported same-sex marriage in New York.

Paul E. Singer supported same-sex marriage in New York, is a funder for the Washington Free Beacon and an investor in the Washington Free Beacon.

Washington Free Beacon hired Fusion GPS to investigate 2016 Republican presidential candidates, hired in 2015 to investigate GOP candidates.

Resources: Past Research

FEC Shoots Down Democrat’s Plan to Target Conservative Media (Past Research on the Federal Election Commission (FEC))

SATURDAY, JULY 15, 2017

https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2017/07/fec-shoots-down-democrats-plan-to.html

The Secret Hand of China (Past Research on the Democratic National Committee (DNC) & Perkins Coie)

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2013

https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2013/11/the-secret-hand-of-china.html

Seth MacFarlane, Barry Diller to Host Hillary Clinton Fundraisers in L.A. (Past Research on Hillary Clinton)

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2016

https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2016/09/seth-macfarlane-barry-diller-to-host.html

Russia to Ukraine: Surrender Crimean Forces or Face 'Military Storm' (Past Research on Russia)