More Bad News for DA Bragg: FEC Commissioner Says They Already Investigated and Determined Trump Committed No Crime

Alvin Bragg, the District Attorney of Manhattan continues to face criticism for the indictment of former President Donald Trump. Some experts believe that the indictment seems to be based on a secret charge which violates the constitutional requirement. Bragg maintains that Trump violated federal campaign-finance laws and falsified business records to cover it up, resulting in 34 misdemeanors. However, FEC Commissioner James E. Trainor argued that the FEC and Department of Justice already investigated the case and determined that Trump committed no crime, rejecting the Manhattan district attorney’s indictment. Trainor also pointed out that Bragg has no jurisdiction to enforce federal campaign laws.

There is speculation about the underlying felony that the charges are predicated on. Bragg allegedly hinted that Trump committed a state crime, while some theories suggest that the charges relate to conducting a fraud on voters in New York County by paying off Stormy Daniels and Karen McDougal. However, paying off a mistress is not a crime, and NDAs are common in civil litigation and private negotiations. Prosecutors don’t enforce ethics, voters do. Unless the paperwork for those transactions were falsified in a manner that forms the basis for fraudulent tax or stock valuations, there is no case. Trump owns his own business and has not given an indication that these filings mattered when it came to tax revenue.

Overall, Bragg doesn’t seem to have a case against Trump, and if the justice system follows the rule of law, the indictment should be dismissed.