A Former Rand Paul Aide, Who Was Conveniently Pardoned By Donald Trump, Was Charged With Campaign Finance Crimes After He Funneled Russian Money Into The 2016 Election

As Russian forces continue to violently invade and attack the country of Ukraine and its people, and numerous Republicans including ex-President Donald Trump have continually stopped just short of licking Vladimir Putin’s boots as they publicly praise and excuse his actions, now seems like a damn good time to remind the world of this particular gem.

Back in September of 2021, one former campaign staffer for Republican Senator Rand Paul was officially charged with funneling Russian money into the 2016 United States presidential election, announced at the time by the US Department of Justice and reported by Business Insider.

Prosecutors alleged in indictment documents that were unsealed on September 9th of last year, former Senator Paul campaign staffer that Jesse Benton “conspired to illegally funnel thousands of dollars of foreign money from a Russian foreign national” into the campaign, constituting a campaign finance crime.

Benton reportedly received a wire transfer from an unnamed Russian in the amount of $100,000 in October of 2016, and according to the unsealed indictment documents, Benton promised the Russian individual that he would be able to “meet a celebrity” at a then-upcoming fundraising event in Philadelphia on September 22, 2016.

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While prosecutors did not name the candidate that was Benton was referring to as a “celebrity,” it is worth noting that then-presidential candidate Donald Trump was hosting a fundraising event that same night at the Ritz-Carlton in Center City, Philadelphia.

According to prosecutors, the unnamed Russian national did attend the fundraising event and his travel expenses to the States were allegedly footed by conservative author and alleged coconspirator Roy Douglas Wead. Prosecutors went on to note that Benton, Wead, and the unnamed Russian individual “had official photographs taken with Political Candidate 1.”

Both Wead and Benton stood accused of falsely labeling the $100,000 contribution as payment for “consulting work.” As it turned out, the former Rand Paul staffer actually pocketed the biggest majority of the money — $75,000, according to the indictment — and donated the rest of the money to the unnamed politician in Benton’s own name.

It was around the same time, “Benton — who managed Paul’s 2010 run for office, as well as the 2014 campaign of another Kentucky Republican, Sen. Mitch McConnell — was convicted of campaign finance fraud over his role in the 2012 Ron Paul presidential campaign. He was sentenced days before the Philadelphia fundraiser to two years probation and ordered to pay a $10,000 fine,” according to reporting from Business Insider at the time.