Cotton: Bragg Is Saying ‘Law Requires You’ to Use Campaign Funds for Personal Reasons

On Wednesday’s “Hugh Hewitt Show,” Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) stated that Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg seems to be alleging that federal campaign law “requires” people to use campaign money for personal reasons and a candidate could only pay for a non-disclosure agreement with campaign funds.

Cotton said, “First, the indictment is legally invalid. It doesn’t assert the actual offenses with which he is charged. What is the underlying offense here? But second, suppose that it is some kind of federal election crime, even though the Federal Election Commission wouldn’t pursue it. Think about the theory of that case, Hugh. Alvin Bragg’s theory of his case is that a candidate for public office is…allowed to use his campaign money, his donors’ money, the $5 and $10 contributions that people send into tomcotton.com or donaldtrump.com, not just allowed to use that for personal purposes, but that the law requires you to use it for personal purposes, that the only way you could, say, pay for a non-disclosure agreement is with your campaign funds. Consider a candidate, Hugh, who’s, let’s say, going through a divorce. It happens. Life continues, even when you’re a candidate for office. Is Alvin Bragg’s theory of the case that you have to use campaign funds to pay for your divorce lawyer because your divorce might be embarrassing and harmful to your campaign? That’s a second ground to dismiss, as a matter of law, this indictment, because the theory is so far-fetched.”

Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett

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