"No campaign violations were engaged in by the president." Notice what Sekulow DIDN'T say:

[pnwmom]

"No campaign violations were engaged in by Donald Trump."

Trump wasn't the president while he was directing Michael Cohen to pay off the women.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/congressional-democrats-plan-to-launch-inquiry-into-trumps-alleged-role-in-scheme-to-silence-affair-accusations/2019/09/02/d5075548-c9ad-11e9-8067-196d9f17af68_story.html?arc404=true

Trump, his aides and attorneys have made contradictory statements about the president’s knowledge of the payments. But his lawyers have repeatedly denied that Trump committed wrongdoing.

“No campaign violations were engaged in by the president,” said Jay Sekulow, Trump’s personal attorney.

As part of the probe, Democrats plan to explore whether the investigation was stymied or obstructed. The Judiciary Committee is also considering as a potential witness David Pecker, the chairman and CEO of American Media Inc., the parent company of the National Enquirer, which admitted making the payment to McDougal.

[maxsolomon]

1. They plainly were. He directed and reimbursed Cohen's payments.

As admitted by Pecker and Cohen.

And the payment by Elliot Broidy to Shera Bechard? Fishy AF.

ITMFA.

[pnwmom]

2. They plainly were by Trump. They were NOT by "the president" because he wasn't president then.

This is a lawyer-like thing to say. Technically, even if DT directed the payments, "the president" didn't.

[maxsolomon]

3. He's hanging his hat on semantics.

Lawyers can say whatever. This is just more tales told by an idiot; filled with sound and fury, but signifying nothing.

Laws are for Democrats. Just ask Don Siegelmann.