Ex-Rand Paul aide pardoned by Trump is charged with funneling Russian money into 2016 election

[Ohio Joe]

A former campaign staffer and the grandson-in-law of US Senator Rand Paul who received a presidential pardon from former President Donald Trump has been charged with directing Russian money into the 2016 presidential election, according to the US Department of Justice.

The announcement came on Monday via an unseal indictment from 9 September.

Business Insider reports that Jesse Benton, Mr Paul's former aide, "conspired to illegally funnel thousands of dollars of foreign money from a Russian foreign national" into the 2016 campaign.

He also managed Senator Mitch McConnell's 2014 campaign.

Mr Benton received a $100,000 wire transfer from an unnamed Russian national in October of 2016, according to the indictment. He was allegedly promised that he would get to "meet a celebrity" at a Philadelphia fundraiser a month earlier.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/ex-rand-paul-aide-pardoned-by-trump-is-charged-with-funneling-russian-money-into-2016-election/ar-AAUKBId?ocid=msedgntp

Yet another person pardoned by TFG who really needed either a bigger pardon or a second pardon. Absolutely a mob syndicate.

[WA-03 Democrat]

1. Glory, glory

hallelujah.

[L. Coyote]

15. And cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Link to tweet

[czarjak]

18. But, of course, he has righteousness to spare. So?

[rockfordfile]

2. Rand Paul should be arrested with that pos

[Bluethroughu]

9. The smell of treason emanating from another in the GOP.

[dchill]

3. A lot of Trump's pardons just aren't taking!

[Cha]

4. Pardon that, Russian ASSet.

💙💛

[Cracklin Charlie]

5. Grandson-in-law?

How old is Randy?

But, damn…he sold out his country for a chance to meet “a celebrity”?

Edit to add: he was McConnell’s campaign manager? Wow, he’s well connected for Someone young enough to be Rand Paul’s grandson-in-law.

[Whiskeytide]

11. He's the husband of Ron Paul's granddaughter by his daughter. That makes him the ...

… husband of Rand Paul’s niece.

[BootinUp]

6. think "tip of ye ol' iceberg"

[Bev54]

7. Check the voting machines too!!

[MLAA]

8. Grand Son or Son in law of Ron Paul

DOJ indicts Jesse Benton, son in law or grand son in law ( not clear) of Ron Paul and head of Rand Paul’s super PAC.

[mysteryowl]

10. This corruption in our government must be rooted out.

This is another peg.

[monkeyman1]

12. good luck with that ? the D.O.J. is scared to death of politicians ?

been 7 yrs. on that one ! pissed off ! you bet ya! the V.P. of this country would be whole bunch better D.O.J. -AG than the person in charge ! Ripped Barr a new one in the impeachment hearing's ! Butt , just a opinion !

[DENVERPOPS]

13. Any senator cheering on Trump

also probably received illegal campaign cash for their election fund..............

that's what Putin has on them!

[Laura PourMeADrink]

14. Hmmm. He got $100k and kept $75k. Then made up

A name of the remaining $25k. And they don't know who got it? Or did I misread?

[SleeplessinSoCal]

16. more on previous crime and pardon

On Christmas Eve no less...

"President Trump pardons two Ron Paul aides convicted in 2012 Iowa caucus bribery scandal"
NICK COLTRAIN | DES MOINES REGISTER | 3:36 pm CST December 24, 2020

https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/politics/2020/12/24/ex-ron-paul-iowa-aides-john-tate-jesse-benton-pardoned-trump-kent-sorenson/4038489001/

The GOP is a revolving door of corruption.

[dalton99a]

17. Kick

[ificandream]

19. I'm reading the headline in disbelief ....

There it is .... let's see Dumb Donald talk his way out of this one.

[secondwind]

20. K&R

[UTUSN]

21. K&R

[NullTuples]

22. McConnell is just as connected to Putin but is far cagier than most Republicans.

[L. Coyote]

23. Is "meet a celebrity" a euphemism?

...interesting details to come?

[mopinko]

24. i wonder how many ppl he pardoned cuz he had work for them to do.

[Mad_Machine76]

25. More smoke

All of these connections with Russia can't be a coincidence, right?

[lindysalsagal]

26. and they're willing to rig elections to continue the cover-up by remaining in power

corruption. If any Dem candidates took russian gangster money, they need to go, too.

[BComplex]

27. I'm sure the commercial media is going to be all over this story. NOT!!!!

This might get a 5-second blip of coverage...so they can claim they reported it.

[Faux pas]

28. Kickety Kickin'

[Edwcraig]

29. Russki Rand