Trump spent $55K in donations on copies of his book

a reply to: Indigo5

When Trump was "private citizen Trump", he could, as it is done sometimes, buy as many books as he wanted to promote his book. Now that he is a public office candidate, he, or people he hires, should be familiar with the rules. Nope, they're not. Again, one cannot simply assume that running a govt is the same as running a business. In the first instance, perfectly legal, but not in the second instance.

No wonder Republicans are ideologically opposed to the FEC and regulations in general. And a popular third party's platform (the Koch ideology party) wants to see the FEC eliminated, in the name of freedom..... more like, free-for-all.

Yep, go back to "buyer beware". It may work to get sucked into buying a book, but the office of POTUS is way much more important.

originally posted by: jjkenobi

originally posted by: jimmyx
only 5 stars for the OP?....oh that's right....it's a post bashing trump for putting political donations into his own pocket, and not about that "evil and corrupt Hillary".....so...no big deal.

Post that has nothing to do with being President or running for President. Can't even be considered a "Scandal" in the weakest term.

Trump supporters are used to these lame attempts.

Except for the fact that it is illegal.

But I guess that doesn't matter.

originally posted by: matafuchs
Ok, so if he had bought another book would it be ok?

As long as he doesn't receive royalties from the book he buys...yes, it would be ok.

Do you honestly not understand the issue here?

a reply to: Indigo5

Wow this changed everything for me. Trump is clearly the corrupt(or more corrupt) candidate.

originally posted by: Oldtimer2
a reply to: Indigo5
Thats done quite often,he donates the books as I remember books aren't made for free,quite a difference if you are trying to put your candidate in a better light,,cause that will never happen

Nope...not done often, if ever.

The Clinton campaign has only a few of her books for PR staff to reference when responding to stuff.
Trump bought thousands.
When campaigns purchase books to give away, they get them from the publisher at wholesale. This makes sure that the candidate doesn't receive royalties (illegal cash out) via donor funds...and it also doesn't fraudulently inflate sales numbers in a way the candidate can also profit from.

Trump ordered 3000 to 5000 books at retail prices from Barnes and Noble online...very best case scenario..he sucks with other peoples money...but truthfully we know he did it to profit and hopefully jack up the book through fake sales numbers. Either way? It was illegal for the campaign to do.

What about Upping the Rent at Trump Tower for his own campaign's staff?

LInkt to vanityfair, although the story seems to come from HuffPost

In March, when Trump was still paying for his presidential run mostly out of his own pocket, his campaign spent $35,458 to rent its headquarters in Trump Tower. Last month, however, that figure surged to $169,758.

originally posted by: ksiezyc
a reply to: Indigo5

Wow this changed everything for me. Trump is clearly the corrupt(or more corrupt) candidate.

Oh...No illusions Trump supporters care about Trump's misdeeds...

But here on ATS where "Deny Ignorance" is the motto...casting full light should still be a priority, even if it means the usual denial, derailment and attacks...

a reply to: desert

That and as a private citizen he is spending his money on his own books..

He is boosting sales with Donor funds now...

a reply to: Indigo5

No of course we are aware and an email to the Trump Tower says it best; this is a paraphrasing of a part of the email:

"Mr.Trump I will defend you till I die, but stop making it so snipping hard."

Though as below what is wrong?

Well my donations got robbed by the DNC, so this is a non-story imo.

Where does it say it is illegal? He is not taking funds from his campaign. He is not taking money and putting it in his bank account. That you cannot do.

However, purchasing a book that you have written. You are paying full price. You are paying to the vendor. You then get money for the sale of your book. What, if running for president you cannot buy and give a copy of your own book?

Buy from the distributor to make it cheaper? Why, it would still be 'illegal' as you state.
Jacking up sales numbers? He is 14,813th on the Amazon list.

Finally, why is it ok to pay a spouse from your coffer but you cannot buy your own book to give away?

and, if I was a DNC donor, I would be more worried about the 280 million in TV ads that has done nothing instead of 55k to get people ready my policies.

originally posted by: matafuchs

Finally, why is it ok to pay a spouse from your coffer but you cannot buy your own book to give away?

That spouse is a former President of the United States.

I can't think of any better consultant, can you?

originally posted by: ksiezyc
a reply to: Indigo5

No of course we are aware and an email to the Trump Tower says it best; this is a paraphrasing of a part of the email:

"Mr.Trump I will defend you till I die, but stop making it so snipping hard."

Ya know the interesting thing...as I (as well as news agencies) examine his campaign expenditures..

The 500k to his own resort? The 5X more he charged for rent to the campaign at Trump tower after it started to be paid with donations? The Millions of dollars in expenses for hats, buttons, t-shirts paid to Erik Trumps friend and co-chair for the Erik Trump foundation? The mystery marketing firms that get millions that no one seems to know? All of that is less interesting to me than the several payments to "American Express" at a Million Dollars a pop with no explanation and itemization..that is black-hole money.

originally posted by: desert
Now that he is a public office candidate, he, or people he hires, should be familiar with the rules.

Seems to be a recurring problem with the candidates, this election.

I suppose he could just say he wasn't aware of the rules and didn't intend to violate them.

Personally, I never buy those excuses.

a reply to: matafuchs

Good question. As long as Trump does not receive any royalties, fine. The problem is that he has used donations in a way that made money for him (royalty).

He could have avoided this illegality by buying his book without making a royalty.

originally posted by: Oldtimer2
a reply to: Indigo5
Thats done quite often,he donates the books as I remember books aren't made for free,quite a difference if you are trying to put your candidate in a better light,,cause that will never happen

I think the point is that some of the money he is spending on them, by buying them retail, is getting filtered back to his own pocket via royalties.

It's a fair point. I wouldn't like it if Hillary did it either.

I'm not quite sure if this will have much teeth to it. From what I understand, a campaign can use it's funds to purchase the candidate's products, services or to rent properties as long as it is at fair-market value.

If he paid full price for the books, that may be considered fair-market value.

On the other hand, he may have some issues in regards to how much he charged the campaign to rent some of his properties. He charged them considerably less than what would normally be charged, and that is a no-no as well.

Edit:

The royalty issue does throw a wrench in the works, though.

originally posted by: matafuchs
Where does it say it is illegal? He is not taking funds from his campaign. He is not taking money and putting it in his bank account. That you cannot do.

However, purchasing a book that you have written. You are paying full price. You are paying to the vendor. You then get money for the sale of your book. What, if running for president you cannot buy and give a copy of your own book?

When purchased from Barnes and Noble at retail prices...(A) He gets a royalty payment for each book (B) it goes toward his rankings on the NYT Best-Seller list and other lists...which promote his book and increase sales...more royalties

Buy from the distributor to make it cheaper? Why, it would still be 'illegal' as you state.

No..Absent him getting the royalties or the boosted NYT times rankings he gets at retail...buying at wholesale would not profit him.

Let me know if you are still confused.

originally posted by: MotherMayEye

originally posted by: desert
Now that he is a public office candidate, he, or people he hires, should be familiar with the rules.

Seems to be a recurring problem with the candidates, this election.

I suppose he could just say he wasn't aware of the rules and didn't intend to violate them.

Personally, I never buy those excuses.

But claims so often that he is smarter in most fields then everyone else. Him make a mistake?

originally posted by: introvert
If he paid full price for the books, that may be considered fair-market value.

Not when he had the option to buy them wholesale and at discount as the author of the book.

Buying through B&N at retail prices paid him a royalty on each of the 5k books he purchased. That is illegally converting campaign donations to personal cash.

On the other hand, he may have some issues in regards to how much he charged the campaign to rent some of his properties. He charged them considerably less than what would normally be charged, and that is a no-no as well.

He has been charging the campaign for empty floors in Trump Tower (at full market rates) and the best excuse the campaign could offer is that they plan on hiring more people in the future.