Turns out the president is above the law, and can only be impeached, given the rare condition that the opposition party has a supermajority in Congress, of course!
Presidential immunity only extends to official acts see here. That said, its so poorly defined as to be irrelevant at the moment.
Still, I suspect distributing checks from the federal government that was not appropriated by congress would very much fail to qualify.
When there are no consequences, everything is an official act.
They won’t even let you stand outside a polling place and hand out water bottles to people waiting in line.
If you’re a Dem. Saw Maga groups outside our local voting polls last election. They were cooking and handing out water.
It’s very different. One is “I will give YOU money if you vote for me” and the other is “I will give EVERYONE money if I win”. The main difference is that one is not discriminating against who people voted for. The first is buying votes, the second is a campaign similar to “I will retroactively lower taxes for this year if I win”, which I don’t think anyone would see as problematic but it’s exactly the same outcome as the one you’re finding problem with, i.e. give people money.
It’s a stupid campaign because anyone with half a brain understand that he’s not going to do it and that that money would have to come from someplace else, but it’s still a campaign promise similar to any other promise politicians make to ask you to vote for them.
This is what tips me over the edge, all in on maga now. I’m surely gonna collect the 5k from the dude famous for stiffing contractors and bankrupting casinos
That’s the secret to Conservative power in America.
Step 1: Make everything illegal
Step 2: Accept bribes to overlook crimes of allies
Step 3: Punish the shit out of your opponents.
Congrats! America is now Russia, with better food and shittier fascists.
If no one prosecuted you for it, it might as well be.
Step 1: Have money.
Step 2: Rape children (and adults).
Step 3: Put an “R” next to your name.
Congrats, you are now immune from consequences.
The law only matters to us poor folks. It isn’t applied to the rich.
Everything is legal when everyone let you write the rules.
Or ignore the rules that someone else wrote to prevent you from doing the thing.
It’s also legal to give someone money after the fact for a job well done, and it’s definitely not a bribe.
From June 26 2024:
The Supreme Court on Wednesday ruled that a federal anti-bribery law does not make it a crime for state and local officials to accept a gratuity for acts that they have already taken.
We live in the stupidest timeline.
He will not give the money. He makes a promise. He breaks the promise. Please people - don’t be stupid. Do not believe this idiot.
Yes it is illegal for you to do that, as it would be for Trump. But no, Trumps proposed 5k checks to all adult citizens, as I understand it, is legal. I’m pretty disappointed in the other answers. A few relevant points.
- Remember the model for sending checks to folks: CARES. Both Biden and Trump have previously done this.
- Congress can legally amend and pass laws. Note that the law that makes bribing for votes illegal is not in the constitution, so it requires only the usual legal action to amend it.
- I note that the policy Trump proposed isn’t discriminatory on who you vote for; your hypothetical does. (I suspect this is irrelevant for the legality, but certainly helps the optics.)
Well he did make it so tha tnothing he does in office is illegal, even if it’s illegal.
No, it’s not legal, but at this point there are no federal officials left who are willing to enforce the law when Republicans break it.
Two centuries ago, a somewhat obscure Scotsman named Tytler made this profound observation: ‘A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the majority discovers it can vote itself largess out of the public treasury. After that, the majority always votes for the candidate promising the most benefits with the result the democracy collapses because of the loose fiscal policy ensuing, always to be followed by a dictatorship, then a monarchy.’
Also if you have sex with a minor is illegal but if you are the President then it’s OK.
Welcome to America
