FEC ruling on Stormy Daniels payment could take a year or longer
Vacancies and procedure will likely slow down ruling on campaign complaint
by Geoff Bennett and Kristen Welker / Mar.26.2018 / 7:49 PM ET
WASHINGTON — Current and former Federal Election Commission officials tell NBC News it could take a year or longer for the FEC to address the case of whether Trump Organization lawyer Michael Cohen’s $130,000 payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels represents an unreported in-kind, contribution to the Trump campaign.
The FEC, which is charged with administering and enforcing federal campaign finance law, is understaffed with two current vacancies on its six-member commission. And two sources with direct knowledge tell NBC News that the FEC is still closing previous cases from the 2015-2016 election cycle.
Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, received the $130,000 payout 11 days before the 2016 presidential election in return for her silence over her allegations that she had a sexual encounter with Trump a decade earlier. The White House has repeatedly denied the president had any involvement with Daniels.
Since the payment far exceeds the maximum allowed for direct campaign contributions, it could be deemed illegal if it was meant to benefit the president’s election bid. The watchdog group Common Cause filed a complaint earlier this year, requesting that the FEC and the Department of Justice investigate the matter.
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https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/fec-ruling-stormy-daniels-payment-could-take-year-or-longer-n860231
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