Confirmed: Bernie Sanders Illegally Used Campaign Funds For Overnight Trip To Italy

[seabeyond]

Presidential Campaign Finance Reports, which include receipts and disbursements for the month of April, have been in ’processing’ status since they were submitted to the FEC on 5/20. Yesterday, the FEC made the detailed campaign finance reports available to the public.

The reports provide evidence that Bernie Sanders illegally used campaign funds for his overnight stay in Italy with 10 family members. Lodging at the 5-star luxury Hotel Boscolo Exedra in Rome, Italy was billed to the campaign in the amount of $13,758. Rooms at the luxury hotel start at $400 a night and go up to $8,000 a night. Additional expenses include $883 for lodging and catering at Hotel Michelangelo in Rome.

On 4/8, Bernie Sanders announced he would travel to the Vatican on 4/15. Private chartered flights must be paid in full before scheduled departure date. On 4/11, the campaign disbursed $613,451 for chartered air travel. This amount dwarfs all other Sanders’ campaign air charter travel expenses to date.

We can now confirm that Bernie Sanders illegally spent over a half million dollars in campaign funds on private air travel and luxury hotels for his non-campaign related trip to Italy. To learn why this is an illegal use of campaign finances, see our previous article on this topic:...

http://www.politicade.com/confirmed-bernie-sanders-illegally-used-campaign-funds-for-overnight-trip-to-italy/

[AtomicKitten]

1. And Hillary jeopardized national security and lied about it, so there's that.

Let's see who gets indicted first.

[FreakinDJ]

13. Don't worry - its one of Brock's fake Democrat Websites

[BainsBane]

72. There are screenshots of FEC filings

That you can examine yourself. You can also go directly to the FEC site and pull up the reports.

[FreakinDJ]

74. Like I said - One of Brock's Astroturf Websites

The "Progressive" title should have tipped you off

but in case you need more - here is the domain information

Admin Name: Customer of Lunarpages http://www.lunarpages.com
Admin Organization: Administrator Lunarpages
Admin Street: 1360 N Hancock St.
Admin City: Anaheim
Admin State/Province: CA
Admin Postal Code: 92807
Admin Country: US
Admin Phone: [phone]
Admin Phone Ext:

https://who.godaddy.com/whoisstd.aspx?domain=politicade.com&prog_id=GoDaddy&k=n0Jo2pkvVmGgf5gYcxfhDrnRM93tJYx4pP01v6qFV0kFvI%2036KwuGbHWxRZpWbIz

Lunarpages is a "Spam Webpage Builder" - youy tell them you want 50 webpages promoting what ever and they build them. Here is their own advertising on the subject

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https://twitter.com/Lunarpages?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

As phony as Hillary's commitment not to cut Social Security

[BainsBane]

85. FEC

Federal elections committee.

I know a democratic site can't compare to Fox, Breitbart, the Free Beacon, Judicial Watch, and the other RW sites posted by Bernie supporters. But you contempt for Democratic owned media needn't stop you from looking to the FEC site, but that would require actually caring about facts.

Interested how disturbed "progressives are" that all media isn't owned by multi-billion dollar right wing corporations. Worse yet, the cite actual documents from the Federal Elections Commission.

Perhaps you can provide us a list of acceptable corporate wealth? Guns and fighter planes are obviously sacred, while the most virulent RW media corporations are oracles of truth, while big sugar is always good. So it seems profiting from killing rather than lending or theme parks makes a corporate industry beyond approach, while promoting GOP control of all three branches of government makes a media outlet acceptable, whereas connection to the Democratic Party (if in fact you are correct on that point) makes it wholly unreliable. That's an interesting set of values.

Oh, and of course activism for HIV/AIDS, reproductive rights and civil rights is unacceptably "establishment, " while generating billions from killing and promoting RW causes is righteous. Oh, and profiting to the tune of 50 million from the cosmetics industry due to horrendous labor exploitation in the deletion world makes someone a hero, and perfect celebrity spokesman whom lowly citizens have no right to criticize.

The hypocrisy truly is limitless.

[FreakinDJ]

87. WOW you really got a hold of that little chew toy

Keep Dreaming Big ..

[pnwmom]

20. No, she didn't. She used her authorized SCIF system, set up at her home

and her office, for classified documents.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

46. IG reports says UNauthorized

[pnwmom]

48. She didn't use her server for classified documents, whatever their disagreement is

about whether her private server was allowed for regular email or not.

For classified documents she had SCIF systems installed in her home and office, and guarded by the Secret Service.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

52. yet, they ended up there anyway

Lol on SS guarding the server while the hacks sneak in thru the intertubes

[pnwmom]

54. No, they didn't. The documents in dispute were retroactively classified,

which is something that happens sometimes, especially when people from different agencies second-guess each other's decisions.

One of the most egregious examples was when articles that had been on official government websites for years were taken off and deemed classified. It's a nutty system.

Here is an article about retroactive classification and how it is used and abused, published in the University of Pennsylvania law review.

http://scholarship.law.upenn.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=9475&context=penn_law_review

[Viva_La_Revolution]

60. ooops

http://www.thompsontimeline.com/The_Clinton_Email_Scandal_-_Long_Version_-_Part_8

[840high]

59. Yes she did.

[Lord Magus]

98. Nobody's getting indicted.

[Schema Thing]

2. yeah, no.

[Skink]

3. I forgive Bernie

[seabeyond]

4. Omg... people, already, what an hoot in answers. Lol.

[chascarrillo]

5. Nice blog you've got there.

[2banon]

6. pipelining to the Vatican

oh boy, Sanders is in trouble now!

[livetohike]

7. TEN family members? Nice little vacation there. Grifter.

No problem spending other people's money.

[lunamagica]

10. Half a million for a weekend trip?!?!? Talk about oligarchy!

At his age, and with his decades in congress, he had to know this was illegal

[livetohike]

15. He doesn't care. Rules are for everyone else. Either that or he's stupid.

Conning the system - good little radical.

[dflprincess]

86. "Rules are for everyone else"

is the motto on the Clinton family crest.

[elleng]

8. 'Politicade is a left-leaning alternative to mainstream media.

We offer fact-based articles written by the middle-class for the middle-class on topics ranging from politics to social justice issues. We will also highlight policies that impact the middle-class and reveal whether your elected representatives voted in your best interest in our Voter Guide Section (coming soon). Our writers believe legislation has the power to impact millions of lives by lifting people out of poverty, creating programs to provide equal opportunity, and providing people the tools they need to live happy, healthy lives.'

[Viva_La_Revolution]

47. no reporter byline, a few anti bernie and pro hillary posts. it's a blog

[elleng]

51. Right.

The 'itinerary' of his 'luxury vacation' is here:

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/16/us/politics/bernie-sanders-rome.html

[liberal from boston]

90. Senator Sanders

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2016/5/2/1522450/-BUSTED-Hypocrite-Hillary-Caught-Hoarding-99-Percent-of-Funds-Raised-for-State-Parties

[Hoyt]

9. The money doesn't bother me that much, it's the way his campaign tried to portray it

as an endorsement.

[lunamagica]

42. The problem for me is the hypocrisy. If he had to take the trip (big if) it could have been just him

and Jane. They could have stayed at a nice, clean hotel which is affordable to the 99% they claim to represent. It could have been a teachable moment, to show that he practices what he preaches, that his humility and integrity are real.

But no, he went out and spared no expenses. No luxury spared, only the best for the large Sanders family. All paid with money which wasn't his to spend as he wished.

Pure hypocrisy.

[thesquanderer]

64. FWIW, a chartered plane (the biggest expense) costs the same for one as for entire family (n/t)

[lunamagica]

65. I didn't even mention the plane. was the five star hotel the same for all?

[thesquanderer]

67. No, but the $13k total hotel pales next to the $600k flight. (n/t)

[seabeyond]

69. Ya, but 13k for a couple hours in an hotel? Come on. Nt

[thesquanderer]

88. I don't know what other lodging is available near the vatican...

...but the article says this hotel goes from $400 to $8k per night... and it's possible the cheapest rooms were not available... and he did take a bunch of family, and also secret service protection... I'm not in a position to know whether or not it was excessive under the circumstances.

[Matt_R]

91. Unfortunatly it cost a bundle to run for president.

Thant includes taking a trip overseas. You have to account for Secret Service protection, travel for them, any and all expenses tend to be exaggerated because you ARE RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT!!!

[azurnoir]

11. here's a link to the FEC report post up the part your article squawks about with filing #

http://www.fec.gov/finance/disclosure/candcmte_info.shtml

[PeaceNikki]

28. Here's the payment for the charter

[PeaceNikki]

32. And here's the hotel

[seabeyond]

36. Wow, woman. You are kicking ass. Thank you. Nt

[PeaceNikki]

41. I don't think it was "illegal". It sure got him a lot of press.

[seabeyond]

44. You don't? That is the only thing I am interested in. If legal, who cares. Don't spin

it as being summoned by the Pope. Or an endorsement from the pope. But, his people do not have issue, none of my business. If the FEC has gone after him, and I understood it was illegal, then that is another story.

[PeaceNikki]

45. I haven't seen any other reports that the FEC is going after him. I have no idea if they should/will

[lunamagica]

40. I'm sure there are many nice, clean, affordable hotels in Rome. Hotels which are good enough for

the 99%.

But they weren't good enough for him.

The hypocrisy, it blows the mind

[Hekate]

94. My friend and her elderly mom and aunt stayed at a convent that rents rooms in Rome

Of course, they planned ahead, so that might have influenced the availability.

But yeah, the hypocrisy and the self-delusion

[YouDig]

12. On the plus side, that's a pretty sweet luxury hotel they booked. Next trip to Rome, I'm there.

[m-lekktor]

14. This "news" site makes Blue Nation Review look unbiased.

just look at the headlines! jeeezuz.

[lunamagica]

17. Did they lie? Did Sanders spend 500K on the trip? Dod he or did he not take 10 family menerw with

him and stayed at 5-star hotels?

[imagine2015]

80. Right. He lives high off the hog like the Clintons and their corporate/Wall Street pals.

[bigtree]

16. the expense alone is mindblowing. Talk about elite

...and making supporters pay for this, to boot.

This isn't progressiveness.

[MattP]

18. I thought he stayed with the monks

So humble st bernie is

[99Forever]

19. Who funds and runs Politicade.com?

Why don't they identify themselves on their website?

Just another Clinton smear machine is what Occum's Razor says.

Prove Occum's Razor wrong, I dare you.

[B Calm]

21. My thoughts too. Who in the hell is Politicade.com? Just

another mud slinging post from another Hillary supporter. When you see this news story in a reputable newspaper get back with us!

[99Forever]

22. Worth noting that the OP's response to my very pertinent questions was...

***crickets***

It's pretty obvious why.

[PeaceNikki]

23. I dunno about that site, but BS spokesman said the campaign funded the trip

That has been reported by multiple sources.

[B Calm]

25. Link?

[PeaceNikki]

27. ok - here's one - there are many

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/sanders-campaign-adventure-takes-hamilton-rome-39605788
Sanders' ambitious campaign schedule has not been affected. Spokesman Michael Briggs said Sanders has done 30 rallies in California since mid-May. He added that Sanders spent time in Puerto Rico touring some of the city's poorest neighborhoods and meeting "with people confronting the financial crisis."

Briggs also noted that Clinton and Obama have taken in "Hamilton." He said Sanders paid for the "Hamilton" tickets while the Warriors tickets were paid for privately; the travel to Rome was a campaign expense.

[bigwillq]

24. IF so, then Bernie needs to be charged and tried.

As I would expect the average citizen to be.

[okasha]

39. This should be interesting.

Will Bernie repay the misappropriated campaign funds?

If he doesn't, will the IRS count those misappropriated funds as income and require Bernie to pay income tax on them?

Is the indictment fairy coming after all, just not for Hillary?

[Agnosticsherbet]

26. Jesse Jackson Jr. and Sandi jackson we to jail for misuse of funds. I suspect that Sanders will just

have to repay his campaign from his own wallet.

[AzDar]

29. Smells of Brock...

[KoKo]

33. Eau du Brockoli....n/t

[lunamagica]

35. Right. He didn't go to Rome in a private plane. He didn't taake 10 family members. He didn't stay at

a five-star hotel...Brock is making us believe he did

[metroins]

30. 600k for flights

That's fucking nuts. For 1 trip.

I'm not trying to bash Bernie here but doesn't somebody question that kind of expense?

[thesquanderer]

68. Commercial flights wouldn't have gotten him there in time, after the debate (n/t)

[Sheepshank]

95. I suppose when he was pulling in $25M in one month, the cost seemed reasonable. Nt

[KoKo]

31. Wow! That site sure has a "Thing" about Bernie...

Reminds me of some sites that have been "unapproved" here on DU.

[HooptieWagon]

34. More Brockoli flinging by a 13-hide poster.

Into the trash this thread goes.

[opiate69]

49. And just think..

in 10 days or whatever it is, when DU goes into "GE mode", Skinner apparently plans to give all of the transparency page all-stars a clean slate... great motivation for keeping a civil tongue until then, eh?

[Rob H.]

97. Some of them deserve the boot, instead

Last edited Sun Jun 5, 2016, 05:42 PM - Edit history (1)

One of the all-stars has racked up 25 hides. I'd say that's pretty clear evidence he's only here to make DU suck, and yet....

Edit: down to 24 since one was old enough to drop off, but he's been ffr since 5/27.

[merrily]

37. Shame on you. That Bernie hate website that "confirmed" absolutely nothing about legality

or illegality. The only fact in that story is that Bernie filed a report with the FEC. Big fucking whoop.

[jfern]

38. There's nothing illegal about it.

Now money laundering with the DNC and 33 state parties to use $353,000 donations for your own benefit, that should definitely be illegal.

[NorthCarolina]

61. I thought that was OK because they did it by texting or email, or some method of communication

that is not specifically prohibited in writing?

[jillan]

43. I'm sure God will forgiven him.

[Octafish]

50. Did he deposit millions from Banksters into his Swiss bank account?

Like someone who was Secretary of State who did favors for UBS might do?

[Gomez163]

53. I WANT A SPECIAL PROSECUTOR AND JAIL TIME.

[grasswire]

55. "politicade" is your source???

LOLOLOL

Is that a little bit like a sidewalk lemonade stand?

Good Lord.

NOBODY CARES about your phony issue.

[B Calm]

58. Confirmed, LOL

[enid602]

56. half mill

Is the half mill over and above the 30 mill his campaign collected illegally. Looks like he's gonma have to look for odd carpentry jobs. Maybe Jane can find a college that needs administerin' or something.

[doc03]

57. No not Bernie Mister Purity n/t

[rjsquirrel]

62. Wow that's over 18,500 donations

of $27 each!

All to see a man in a dress and a funny hat.

[melman]

63. 'a man in a dress and a funny hat'

Throwing in a little Catholic bashing there. Nice touch.

[rjsquirrel]

83. Lol ok

Last edited Sun Jun 5, 2016, 07:45 AM - Edit history (1)

I was raised Catholic before I became anti-religion. My mom remains a devout Catholic.

Therefore I am offended by your bigoted imputation of offense to Catholics. Lol.

I'm not bashing Catholics. I'm bashing a man in a dress and a funny hat who claims to be God's agent on earth based on no evidence whatsoever of any divine powers.

The faux outrage is amusing. Bernie Bros have such a strong need to be offended and outraged.

Shall we talk about pedophile clergy next?

[Bobbie Jo]

66. Oh, you mean when he went

to Rome to meet with the Pope?

Yup!

[blackspade]

70. Another bullshit hit piece...

from another bullshit 'news' site.

This is not 'confirmed,' merely opinion.
Much like the other crap for that site.

[BainsBane]

71. Was just about to post this

This just after the NY times did a story showing a plurality of his donors are unemployed.
Shameful.

[robbedvoter]

73. so that's what "money out of politics" meant!

Took me a while to get it!

[eastwestdem]

75. Who didn't see that coming... nt

[RazBerryBeret]

76. OMG..

maybe there will be an FBI investigation?

ppppffffffft......

[senseandsensibility]

78. duzy

[imagine2015]

77. Confirmed by the Federal Election Commission? No. By a unidentified writer on a bogus website.

Written and confirmed by an unidentified writer for Politicade!

The article is so bad and the claims so absurd that the writer won't even step forward and identify him or herself!

And what the hell is Politicade??? Anyone here ever hear of it? You won't find much about them on Google. It looks pretty much like a fly-by-night anti-Sanders slander website using the National Inquirer's journalistic standards. So who is really behind Politicade. Who is funding it? Do they have a publicly known editorial board and public owners? Perhaps the poster can reveal this information to us.

Here's a list of most featured articles on their homepage:


Confirmed: Bernie Sanders Illegally used Campaign Funds for Overnight Trip to Italy

June 4, 2016

Give Bernie Sanders a Taste of Power and He Will Demand the Whole Enchilada

May 25, 2016

Bernie Sanders Has Chosen the Path of the Sore Loser

May 23, 2016

Bernie Sanders Continues to Ask Supporters for Donations Despite No Path To Victory

May 17, 2016

CNN Political Analyst Angela Rye is our Hero for this Epic Takedown on the Topic of Bill Clinton’s Affairs

May 10, 2016

Elizabeth Warren owes Hillary Clinton an Apology

April 30, 2016

Did Bernie Sanders Illegally Use Campaign Funds to Take Family to Italy?

April 27, 2016

Bernie Sanders Calls Hillary Clinton Racist, Yet Her Record on Civil Rights is Stronger

February 29, 2016

WOW! Well, I wonder what the next big expose will be on this self-proclaimed "left leaning" website?

Let us know when Sanders will be charged with illegal campaign and criminal campaign activity by the Federal Election Commission.

I can tell you right now despite your hopes and dreams that ain't gonna happen!

If you find any evidence of criminal activity from credible sources let everyone on DU know!

[DesertRat]

79. Lobster sliders don't come cheap.

This is the first confirmation I've seen with the actual numbers. That's an incredible amount for such a short trip.

[PowerToThePeople]

81. I hope Hillary's bathroom server ran better than this dunce's system.

[AzDar]

82. CONFIRMED: Some People Are Either Incredibly Dense Or They're Spreading Lies Intentionally...

(or BOTH)

[Gothmog]

84. Sanders is lying about a contested convention to keep the small dollar donations flowing

There will be no contested convention and Sanders is lying to his supporters

[imagine2015]

89. Did you just read that off a "talking points" slander sheet?

[Gothmog]

96. What a sad and silly post

Sanders will not be the nominee and there will be no contested convention. Sanders is lying about a contested convention to keep the small dollar donations coming in. That tactic is really rather sad

[Hekate]

92. The road to Hell is paved with good intentions, isn't it St Bernard? By the way: your tax returns?

Or do the usual rules just simply not apply to Sanders?

[Sheepshank]

93. No drip, drip, drip?

Pretty cut and dry.