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brooklynite

(94,598 posts)
Wed Jan 29, 2020, 08:53 AM Jan 2020

Trump allies target African American voters with new tactic: Cash giveaways

Source: Politico

Allies of Donald Trump have begun holding events in black communities where organizers lavish praise on the president as they hand out tens of thousands of dollars to lucky attendees.

The first giveaway took place last month in Cleveland, where recipients whose winning tickets were drawn from a bin landed cash gifts in increments of several hundred dollars, stuffed into envelopes. A second giveaway scheduled for this month in Virginia has been postponed, and more are said to be in the works.

The tour comes as Trump’s campaign has been investing its own money to make inroads with black voters and erode Democrats’ overwhelming advantage with them. But the cash giveaways are organized under the auspices of an outside charity, the Urban Revitalization Coalition, permitting donors to remain anonymous and make tax-deductible contributions.

The organizers say the events are run by the book and intended to promote economic development in inner cities. But the group behind the cash giveaways is registered as a 501(c)3 charitable organization. One leading legal expert on nonprofit law said the arrangement raises questions about the group’s tax-exempt status, because it does not appear to be vetting the recipients of its money for legitimate charitable need.

Read more: https://www.politico.com/news/2020/01/29/trump-black-voters-cash-giveaways-108072

23 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Trump allies target African American voters with new tactic: Cash giveaways (Original Post) brooklynite Jan 2020 OP
Take the money Kaiserguy Jan 2020 #1
In the 1986 Philippines election, Cardinal Jaime Sin told Catholics... brooklynite Jan 2020 #5
Gross. Sugar Smack Jan 2020 #2
Such sick, unprincipled desperation. (nt) Paladin Jan 2020 #3
+ 1. nt iluvtennis Jan 2020 #12
Geez! Not even subtle. keithbvadu2 Jan 2020 #4
Take the money, vote against the asshole who thinks he can buy you, lark Jan 2020 #6
I wonder how trump's shithead base feels about this. Paladin Jan 2020 #7
Great point! Sugar Smack Jan 2020 #18
Vote buying? marybourg Jan 2020 #8
I thought it was illegal to buy votes? hobby10113 Jan 2020 #9
Buying votes is 100% illegal Bradical79 Jan 2020 #15
More info Lulu KC Jan 2020 #10
If I were black, Bayard Jan 2020 #11
Its not illegal, in Cleveland it was called "walking around" money. It was used to bring out the ... marble falls Jan 2020 #14
As a Ward Committeman in Philly, we always received "Street Money" to work with brooklynite Jan 2020 #17
I'll gladly take his money and I will feel no shame when I vote a 100% Democratic vote ... marble falls Jan 2020 #13
A shot of whiskey in the old days bought a vote packman Jan 2020 #16
Take the money but still vote Dem IronLionZion Jan 2020 #19
Well, that's a way to get people to like you (at least until they walk away with the cash) . . . Journeyman Jan 2020 #20
Time for some music denem Jan 2020 #21
The GOP has pulled out all stops. In the face of demographics that will take them out of power Nitram Jan 2020 #22
Trump and his fans think Boss Tweed was a good guy. ArtTownsend Jan 2020 #23

Kaiserguy

(740 posts)
1. Take the money
Wed Jan 29, 2020, 09:09 AM
Jan 2020

and give it to the democratic nominee that you like. Make sure you tell them Thanks for help to elect a real decent person as President.

brooklynite

(94,598 posts)
5. In the 1986 Philippines election, Cardinal Jaime Sin told Catholics...
Wed Jan 29, 2020, 09:48 AM
Jan 2020

...that it was perfectly okay to take the bribes (that were ubiquitous in Filipino politics) and then vote for whomever they wanted.

lark

(23,105 posts)
6. Take the money, vote against the asshole who thinks he can buy you,
Wed Jan 29, 2020, 10:02 AM
Jan 2020

while allowing police to kill you with impunity.

Paladin

(28,264 posts)
7. I wonder how trump's shithead base feels about this.
Wed Jan 29, 2020, 10:09 AM
Jan 2020

They're the ones always accusing minorities of wanting nothing more than government handouts---and here are trump's re-election forces, doing exactly that. Looking forward to hearing their efforts to make this look alright; imagine if one of the Democratic campaigns was doing this.

Sugar Smack

(18,748 posts)
18. Great point!
Wed Jan 29, 2020, 12:35 PM
Jan 2020

Given a moment's actual thought, this should disgust everybody. Hopefully enough to make them all run away.

marybourg

(12,633 posts)
8. Vote buying?
Wed Jan 29, 2020, 10:19 AM
Jan 2020

I seem to remember a mini scandal in the sixties when the Dems were accused of handing out “walkin’ around money”. I will look it up.

hobby10113

(51 posts)
9. I thought it was illegal to buy votes?
Wed Jan 29, 2020, 10:28 AM
Jan 2020

I know corporations buy politicians but I thought that was made illegal. Kind of like you cant give alcohol to voters or something like that?

 

Bradical79

(4,490 posts)
15. Buying votes is 100% illegal
Wed Jan 29, 2020, 12:27 PM
Jan 2020

Though I don't know what the standard is to consider it vote buying. Probably legal doing it as raffles like they were doing, and doing it through a non-profit "charity" as cover.

The end of the segment posted did mention the fake charity could be breaking tax law as they aren't vetting recipients of the money for legit charitable need. Not that anything significant would happen, even if that's the case.

marble falls

(57,106 posts)
14. Its not illegal, in Cleveland it was called "walking around" money. It was used to bring out the ...
Wed Jan 29, 2020, 12:09 PM
Jan 2020

vote in lower turnout wards. The idea (and it worked for Democrats) was that you'd walk around and tell people to vote or even drive them to the polls.

Trumps cash may very well bring out more votes against him.

marble falls

(57,106 posts)
13. I'll gladly take his money and I will feel no shame when I vote a 100% Democratic vote ...
Wed Jan 29, 2020, 12:03 PM
Jan 2020

on the national and state offices.

 

packman

(16,296 posts)
16. A shot of whiskey in the old days bought a vote
Wed Jan 29, 2020, 12:29 PM
Jan 2020

Now it's cash - I want a 60inch , HiDef TV for mine.

Nitram

(22,822 posts)
22. The GOP has pulled out all stops. In the face of demographics that will take them out of power
Thu Jan 30, 2020, 01:09 AM
Jan 2020

they are resorting to pure, unadulterated corruption. This impeachment is our last stand against en entirely corrupt American government.

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