Key Ron and Rand Paul advisor [Jesse Benton] acquitted in Iowa corruption trial [Archive]

Brian4Liberty

10-22-2015, 11:18 AM

Key Ron and Rand Paul advisor acquitted in Iowa corruption trial (https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2015/10/22/key-ron-and-rand-paul-advisor-acquitted-in-iowa-corruption-trial/)
By David Weigel - October 22, 2015

An Iowa jury has acquitted Jesse Benton, a longtime aide to both former congressman Ron Paul and Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), on charges of lying to the FBI. That decision effectively clears two key Paul family aides who had been under an ethical cloud since a December 2011 decision to pay a state senator for his endorsement.
...
"I am happy that justice has been served," Rand Paul said in a statement to The Post.

The legal situation was more complicated for Dimitri Kesari, Ron Paul's 2012 deputy campaign manager, and by all accounts the engineer of the Sorenson endorsement scheme. He entered the trial facing five separate counts; he was found not guilty of obstruction of justice and guilty of creating false records. The jury remained deadlocked on three other counts, giving federal prosecutors 10 days to determine whether to seek a new trial.
...
More: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2015/10/22/key-ron-and-rand-paul-advisor-acquitted-in-iowa-corruption-trial/

Kotin

10-22-2015, 11:20 AM

they still need to learn from this and 100% ditch jesse benton and never associate with him again.

specsaregood

10-22-2015, 11:26 AM

I think the thread title should have the Name Jesse Benton in it. The threads smearing him and where he was charged certainly had his name in them. So, I would think the thread announcing his acquittal should as well.

Matt Collins

10-22-2015, 11:29 AM

they still need to learn from this and 100% ditch jesse benton and never associate with him again.
Why? He didn't do anything wrong.

Kurt Evans

10-22-2015, 11:33 AM

sparebulb

10-22-2015, 11:49 AM

Why? He didn't do anything wrong.

Technically, Nixon was not a crook.

The Northbreather

10-22-2015, 12:03 PM

From the article:

For more than two months, senator maintained that Benton and Tate were innocent, and that the indictment may have been timed to hurt his own campaign.

Senator who?

He who shall not be named?

:)

sparebulb

10-22-2015, 12:09 PM

From the article:

Senator who?

He who shall not be named?

:)

Senator {redacted}, silly.

Anti Federalist

10-22-2015, 12:11 PM

Good.

I would not wish the system's punishment on my worst enemy.

Maybe he learned his lesson to STFU around cops now.

Maltheus

10-22-2015, 01:17 PM

That sucks. Few things would have made me happier than to see that creep serve time.

notsure

10-22-2015, 01:24 PM

That sucks. Few things would have made me happier than to see that creep serve time.

Sucks? Believe me, if convicted, this would have been very bad news for Rands' campaign. Even if Benton wasn't associated with Rands' campaign, the media narrative would not have been so honest.

devil21

10-22-2015, 01:26 PM

Good for Jesse. Now slink away and stop causing problems.

Valli6

10-22-2015, 02:13 PM

the hill used a more misleading headline.

Ex-Ron Paul aide convicted in campaign bribery case
October 22, 2015, 02:28 pm
By Jonathan Easley
hxxp://thehill.xom/blogs/ballot-box/257770-ex-ron-paul-aide-convicted-in-campaign-bribery-case

hells_unicorn

10-22-2015, 02:33 PM

Sucks? Believe me, if convicted, this would have been very bad news for Rands' campaign. Even if Benton wasn't associated with Rands' campaign, the media narrative would not have been so honest.

Something tells me that Maltheus probably wouldn't have cared how this would have effected Rand's campaign, or that he may have hoped for Rand to serve some time along with Benton for endorsing Romney. I've heard stuff this crazy out of certain purist Ron Paul supporters.

Anyway, this is good news, and hopefully the media will shut up about this, though I doubt they will.

supermario21

10-22-2015, 02:37 PM

I wonder how Bob Wenzel is taking all of this. He was gloating about the downfall of "Ron Paul, Inc"

randomname

10-22-2015, 02:56 PM

the hill used a more misleading headline.

hxxp://thehill.xom/blogs/ballot-box/257770-ex-ron-paul-aide-convicted-in-campaign-bribery-case

thats about kesari, who did get convicted on one minor charge

r3volution 3.0

10-22-2015, 03:27 PM

Fantastic news

That sucks. Few things would have made me happier than to see that creep serve time.

:rolleyes:

negrep

JJ2

10-22-2015, 04:06 PM

What about John Tate??

r3volution 3.0

10-22-2015, 04:16 PM

What about John Tate??

IIRC, the charges against him were dropped a long time ago.

phill4paul

10-22-2015, 04:17 PM

Good.

I would not wish the system's punishment on my worst enemy.

Maybe he learned his lesson to STFU around cops now.

Yup. As much I dislike Benton I've been hoping he would beat the rap. I don't for an instant believe that he didn't have knowledge of the campaign funds shuffled through the video company. I also didn't believe for an instant that he needed to do Fed time for it.

Maltheus

10-22-2015, 04:54 PM

Something tells me that Maltheus probably wouldn't have cared how this would have effected Rand's campaign, or that he may have hoped for Rand to serve some time along with Benton for endorsing Romney. I've heard stuff this crazy out of certain purist Ron Paul supporters.

Benton does more damage to Rand out of jail than in. Don't forget, he was indicted right before the 1st debate and it wasn't even brought up.

Peace&Freedom

10-22-2015, 08:33 PM

Benton should spend time with his wife and family, like anybody else who was just dragged through the court system and acquitted. Benton should just sit out the primaries and let Rand succeed or not, without any more misjudgments leading to legal jeopardy coming from him.

Matt Collins

10-22-2015, 11:39 PM

That sucks. Few things would have made me happier than to see that creep serve time.You want to jail an innocent person? Wow, what does that say about your character? :(

Matt Collins

10-22-2015, 11:40 PM

I wonder how Bob Wenzel is taking all of this. Who cares? :rolleyes:

hells_unicorn

10-22-2015, 11:42 PM

Benton does more damage to Rand out of jail than in. Don't forget, he was indicted right before the 1st debate and it wasn't even brought up.

He didn't do anything illegal you lunatic, if you want someone in prison simply because you don't want them to have freedom, you belong in Hillary Clinton's camp.

phill4paul

10-22-2015, 11:48 PM

You want to jail an innocent person? Wow, what does that say about your character? :(

There's degrees to "innocence." Are you honestly going to say that Benton, as "communications" director, didn't see the money going to Sorenson through "Audi-Visual" payments?
If you say "no" then you need to admit he was incompetent.
If you say "yes, but"......then, I dunno. Politics as usual guess. How much did he make?

Badger Paul

10-23-2015, 08:14 AM

As much as I wanted to see that arsehole go to prison, innocent is innocent. But it also means Demitri has to take the fall for their incompetence because there was no complete exoneration. Hopefully the family pays his legal bills.

My guess is Benton will head back to Kentucky and work on the Senate campaign.

hells_unicorn

10-23-2015, 09:09 AM

There's degrees to "innocence." Are you honestly going to say that Benton, as "communications" director, didn't see the money going to Sorenson through "Audi-Visual" payments?
If you say "no" then you need to admit he was incompetent.
If you say "yes, but"......then, I dunno. Politics as usual guess. How much did he make?

Hmm, so we're going to put somebody in prison for being an "incompetent communications director". See what I said to another person about joining Hillary Clinton's campaign. I was big into Ron Paul back in 2008 and 2012, but man are some of the old guard in the Liberty movement 3-sheet to the wind insane.

Matt Collins

10-23-2015, 09:40 AM

William Tell

10-23-2015, 09:44 AM

I wonder how Bob Wenzel is taking all of this. He was gloating about the downfall of "Ron Paul, Inc"

He is weeping and gnashing his teeth.

NewRightLibertarian

10-23-2015, 09:47 AM

Whether criminal or not, Benton still sucks a fat one.

specsaregood

10-23-2015, 09:50 AM

I was big into Ron Paul back in 2008 and 2012, but man are some of the old guard in the Liberty movement 3-sheet to the wind insane.

To be fair, Jesse has made no effort to ingratiate himself with that old guard; but rather the opposite. And I say that as somebody that defended him more than enough in the past.

phill4paul

10-24-2015, 06:29 AM

Hmm, so we're going to put somebody in prison for being an "incompetent communications director". See what I said to another person about joining Hillary Clinton's campaign. I was big into Ron Paul back in 2008 and 2012, but man are some of the old guard in the Liberty movement 3-sheet to the wind insane.

Never said I want to put him in jail for anything. In fact, quite the opposite.

A court of law has determined he is innocent. When it comes to breaking the law, that is all that matters.

The only thing he was tried for was a USC. 1001. Which, remarkably, and thankfully, he was acquitted of. The Feds thought there was enough evidence from his statements to them to try and press charges. However, Benton was smart enough to only talk to them under a "proffer" agreement and the judge would not allow the charges to stand. As to courts...there are plenty of innocent people that are found guilty just as there are guilty people that are found innocent. Even with that I've never said that what he did was or should be illegal. My bitch is knowing that my campaign donations went to fill the coffers of an elected official I did not care enough to contribute to directly.

JohnGalt23g

10-24-2015, 07:48 AM

they still need to learn from this and 100% ditch jesse benton and never associate with him again.

He's part of the Paul family. That's gonna be kinda difficult...

Galileo Galilei

10-24-2015, 08:40 AM

He is weeping and gnashing his teeth.

:toady:

Matt Collins

10-24-2015, 09:35 AM

My bitch is knowing that my campaign donations went to fill the coffers of an elected official I did not care enough to contribute to directly.Who are you referring to? :confused:

phill4paul

10-24-2015, 02:10 PM

Who are you referring to? :confused:

Umm, the payments from the campaign to Kent Sorenson. But, I'm pretty sure you knew that.

cajuncocoa

10-24-2015, 02:28 PM

they still need to learn from this and 100% ditch jesse benton and never associate with him again.
^^^^^^^THIS^^^^^^^^

LibertyEagle

10-24-2015, 03:29 PM

To be fair, Jesse has made no effort to ingratiate himself with that old guard; but rather the opposite. And I say that as somebody that defended him more than enough in the past.

Yeah, but is that what is important? I just want him to do his job. I don't need him spending time kissing my ass and I know you don't require that for yourself, either. But, some may want that and if they do, I think they should remember what our objective is, or used to be, anyway.

nobody's_hero

10-25-2015, 02:21 AM

I'll agree with AF on this in that ultimately I wouldn't have wanted to see what the Feds would have done to even my worst enemy.

...

Totally worth it to scare him though. I hope this extinguishes Benton's desire or viability for future ventures in politics.

nobody's_hero

10-25-2015, 02:21 AM

duplicate post

Weston White

10-28-2015, 02:48 AM

He didn't do anything illegal you lunatic, if you want someone in prison simply because you don't want them to have freedom, you belong in Hillary Clinton's camp.

They all clearly made efforts to conceal the true application of those funds. That is what they all did wrong, though only one appears to be have been thrown under the campaign bus in the end.