Former president Barack Obama’s official campaign organization has directed nearly a million dollars to the same law firm that funneled money to Fusion GPS, the firm behind the infamous Steele dossier. Since April of 2016, Obama For America (OFA) has paid over $972,000 to Perkins Coie, records filed with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) show.
The Washington Post reported last week that Perkins Coie, an international law firm, was directed by both the Democratic National Committee (DNC) and Hillary Clinton’s campaign to retain Fusion GPS in April of 2016 to dig up dirt on then-candidate Donald Trump. Fusion GPS then hired Christopher Steele, a former British spy, to compile a dossier of allegations that Trump and his campaign actively colluded with the Russian government during the 2016 election. Though many of the claims in the dossier have been directly refuted , none of the dossier’s allegations of collusion have been independently verified . Lawyers for Steele admitted in court filings last April that his work was not verified and was never meant to be made public.
OFA, Obama’s official campaign arm in 2016, paid nearly $800,000 to Perkins Coie in 2016 alone, according to FEC records. The first 2016 payments to Perkins Coie, classified only as “Legal Services,” were made April 25-26, 2016, and totaled $98,047. A second batch of payments, also classified as “Legal Services,” were disbursed to the law firm on September 29, 2016, and totaled exactly $700,000. Payments from OFA to Perkins Coie in 2017 totaled $174,725 through August 22, 2017.
FEC records as well as federal court records show that Marc Elias, the Perkins Coie lawyer whom the Washington Post reported was responsible for the payments to Fusion GPS on behalf of Clinton’s campaign and the DNC, also previously served as a counsel for OFA. In Shamblin v. Obama for America , a 2013 case in federal court in Florida, federal court records list Elias as simultaneously serving as lead attorney for both OFA and the DNC.
OFA, which managed Obama’s successful re-election campaign in 2012, retooled after that campaign to focus on enacting the president’s agenda during his final term in office . The group reorganized again after the 2016 election and planned to use its staff and resources to oppose President Donald Trump. During the entire 2016 campaign cycle, the group spent only $4.5 million, according to FEC records .
No, Johnathon, I don't think President Obama ever imagined that the country would be so well served by helping to keep the investigation into the major criminal and treasonous and despicable human being ever to be "elected" to the presidency alive. We keep learning new reasons for being grateful to that man and this has now become one of the top ones.
Lock up the real Russian colluders.
What did Pres.Obama do worthwhile for our Country? I would really like to know. He divided us in such a way that we will never recover. He and his illustrious wife spit on us.....the American people!
I sincerely cannot understand how the Obamas were good for our Country. He was black....so what? So are million of others. He is, supposedly, a constitutional scholar....so are thousands.
The Clintons are scalawags. They are a dime a dozen.....some in prison. Now, I like Pres. Clinton.....who wouldn't? All those years with Hillary!!!!! He just didn't have Marilyn Monroe singing "happy birthday to you, Mr. President". Now, if he would have ditched Old Hillary, I would have more respect for him. Maybe, the "lady with the blue dress on" wouldn't have happened.
Chelsea is the innocent one of the three. Can you imagine growing up in this"family"? Damn, life was tough for this child.
Sink Obama et al.
Magnolia, does it ever occur to you that almost everything you say about politics is criticism of people who are not in office and never will be again?
I thought you were supposed to be some sort of independent, or moderate?
,,
This entire thread is drivelish nonsense.
Million dollars, huh? After paying the taxes and freight that's about the cost of a new Lamborghini. Or about a 1/3 down payment on a Bugatti.