http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/08/...-oppo.html

Quote:Brooke Singman
By Brooke Singman
Published August 10, 2017
Fox News

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Ukrainian, DNC alleged connection: Congress investigates

A watchdog group is urging the Federal Election Commission to investigate the Democratic National Committee and a former consultant for allegedly soliciting illegal contributions from the Ukrainian government by seeking information about then-Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort.

The Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust (FACT) filed a complaint with the FEC on Wednesday, accusing the DNC and former Ukrainian-American consultant Alexandra Chalupa of breaking federal law.

Chalupa was brought into the broader debate regarding Russia's 2016 election meddling and potential collusion with the Trump campaign when Politico published a report months ago revealing she met with officials in the Ukrainian Embassy last year.

According to FACT’s complaint, a political officer in the Ukrainian Embassy was instructed to help Chalupa conduct opposition research on Trump’s campaign -- specifically, to help expose ties between Manafort and Russia.

Quote:FACT alleged that Chalupa received improper “in-kind contributions” -- which they define as “anything of value, including information and leads, the fruits of paid research, or similar investigatory activity to a political committee” -- regarding Manafort while employed by the DNC.

“Since Chalupa was being paid by the DNC at the time of the collusion, this constitutes an illegal, in-kind contribution,” FACT said in a statement, noting federal law "prohibits accepting or receiving anything of value from foreign nationals."

FEC guidelines are broad regarding what can be considered an in-kind contribution but list advertising, print and consultant services, and more.

The FACT complaint also notes that the “DNC subsequently acknowledged that they had knowledge of the research” obtained by Chalupa on behalf of Ukrainian officials.

Quote:A DNC official told Fox News that Chalupa did not represent the DNC during her interactions with the Ukrainian embassy related to allegations of opposition research, and said the DNC did not receive research from the Ukrainian government either.

“The DNC’s claim that they did not use the information given to them by Ukrainian government official is preposterous and a bad excuse for breaking the law,” Matthew Whitaker, FACT’s executive director, told Fox News. “The bottom line is a paid member of the DNC went to greath lengths to actively seek out opposition research on the Trump campaign from a foreign government and for that they should be held accountable.”

Like the Batman series: "Same time, same station":
"will the chalupa get sauced?"
"will the dem's stuff the chalupa?"

Will that chalupa be up the creek without an oar?

A chalupa is a boat, very fitting name.