Daniel Hampton
August 13, 2024
RAW STORY
A Democratic-aligned political action committee filed a complaint with federal election regulators accusing Donald Trump, his campaign and the social media site X of violating federal election laws during Trump's interview with tech billionaire Elon Musk.
Trump's lengthy interview with Musk on Monday "violated" federal rules banning corporations from making contributions to federal candidates, and barring federal candidates from accepting such contributions, alleged the complaint filed Tuesday by the group End Citizens United.
The group said the interview "amounted to a virtual campaign event for Donald J. Trump financed by X."
"Such a brazen corporate contribution undermines the anti-corruption aims of the Act, and the [Federal Election] Commission should immediately investigate these violations and take appropriate remedial action," the complaint said.
Campaign Treasurer Bradley T. Crate was also named in the complaint.
The filing jabbed Musk and his app, noting in the "facts" section that the interview "generated headlines" but was "marred with technical issues that featured express advocacy by X owner Elon Musk to support the Trump Campaign."
In the legal analysis section, the complaint alleges that a "contribution" — which corporations are banned from making to candidates — includes "'anything of value' provided to a federal candidate in connection with their election."
"The Commission has held that activities involving the participation of a federal candidate result in contributions 'if the activities involve i) the solicitation, making, or acceptance of contributions to the candidate's campaign, or ii) communications expressly advocating the nomination, election, or defeat of any candidate."
Tiffany Muller, president of the group, which is supporting Kamala Harris in the race, told The Washington Post in a statement that the interview could “set a dangerous precedent for unfettered, direct corporate engagement in campaigns.”
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