Sidney Powell's election lie cash grab must be treated as fraud
Trump has also raised millions based on his false 2020 fraud claims.
By Richard W. Painter, MSNBC Opinion Columnist
Despite his claims to the contrary, then-President Donald Trump lost the 2020 election — but his campaign lawyer Sidney Powell apparently did very well for herself. We recently learned Powell raised over $14 million for her Defending the Republic nonprofit group using baseless claims about “fraud” in that election.
It’s unclear where all that money went. Federal prosecutors have subpoenaed the financial records of Defending the Republic and a related political action committee, also organized by Powell.
Let’s be clear about something: Spreading fake news alone may be protected speech under the First Amendment. But spreading fake news to ask for money is commercial speech, and courts enforce laws criminalizing fraud. While Powell may argue that she believed her claims, there is no First Amendment right to lie to people to get their money.
Trump himself has shown the profitability of this model. A minor agitator suspended by Twitter for repeatedly lying might start a GoFundMe account and complain to sympathetic donors about being “canceled” by Big Tech. A former president, however, can open a Super PAC and rake in millions claiming to be a victim of both “election fraud” and “cancel culture.” And Trump has done just that, to the tune of $255.4 million raised in the eight weeks during which he sought to overturn the election result.
Sidney Powell's election lie cash grab must be treated as fraud
https://www.msnbc.com/opinion/sidney-powel...
Posted By: Dea. Ron Gray Sr.
Sunday, December 12th 2021 at 8:33PM
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