Leaked documents showing bribes in the form of donations circulating between DNC officials in April could raise legal questions for a party already in turmoil]
Emails and documents contained in the Wikileaks release suggest that top DNC officials were planning on handing out political positions in return for donations, essentially a circle of bribery happening at the top of the Democratic party.
Ken Boehm, the chairman of the National Legal and Policy Center, a government watchdog group, has issued a warning to the Democratic National Committee via The Daily Caller:
“The disclosed DNC emails sure look like the potential Clinton Administration has intertwined the appointments to federal government boards and commissions with the political and fund raising operations of the Democratic Party. That is unethical, if not illegal.”
This news is among a series of reports of cronyism and election rigging against Bernie Sanders and in favor of Hillary Clinton within emails between DNC staffers that were released through Wikileaks on Friday.
The emails regarding appointing of federal political positions started with an email chain in April where the DNC’s national finance director, Jordan Kaplan, asked other staffers to provide the names of donors to be appointed. Kaplan wrote on April 20,
“Last call for boards and commissions. If you have someone, send to [DNC finance chief of staff Scott] Comer – full name, city, state, email and phone number. Send as many as you want, just don’t know how many people will get to.”
To which Scott Comer followed up with,
“Any folks who you’d like to be considered to be on the board of (for example) USPS, NEA, NEH. Basically anyone who has a niche interest and might like to serve on the board of one of these orgs. I should say, though, that the likelihood of landing a spot on ones as prestigious as NEA/USPS is unlikely. It’s much more likely they’ll get something like ‘President’s Commission on the Celebration of Women in American History.’ (no shade to women) But when you submit your names, we don’t need specific designations.”
Boehn told The Daily Caller that this is strong evidence of a quid pro quo.
For a more thorough and investigative analysis of the email chain, see Leaked DNC Documents Show Plans To Reward Big Donors With Federal Appointments at The Daily Caller by Chuck Ross.
UPDATE: These emails prove that the DNC actually violated federal laws regarding elections.
- Promise of appointment by candidate: 18 U.S.C. § 599
Whoever, being a candidate, directly or indirectly promises or pledges the appointment, or the use of his influence or support for the appointment of any person to any public or private position or employment, for the purpose of procuring support in his candidacy shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than one year, or both; and if the violation was willful, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than two years, or both.
- Promise of employment or other benefit for political activity: 18 U.S. Code § 600
Whoever, directly or indirectly, promises any employment, position, compensation, contract, appointment, or other benefit, provided for or made possible in whole or in part by any Act of Congress, or any special consideration in obtaining any such benefit, to any person as consideration, favor, or reward for any political activity or for the support of or opposition to any candidate or any political party in connection with any general or special election to any political office, or in connection with any primary election or political convention or caucus held to select candidates for any political office, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than one year, or both.
