Politics

If convicted of violating federal law with bribe to GOP senators, Rosie O’Donnell could face 15 years in prison

As we reported earlier, Trump-hater Rosie O’Donnell offered a $2 million bribe to two GOP senators if they would vote to stop the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.  She later extended that offer to any Republican senator who would take her up on it.  But, some said on social media, it appears she violated federal law and could face up to 15 years in prison if she were actually convicted.

Jeff Jacoby, a conservative columnist at the Boston Globe, tweeted: “Here’s a fun fact, @Rosie: Under 18 U.S. Code §201, offering $4 million in bribes to senators to influence a vote is punishable with up to $12m in fines and/or imprisonment for as much as 15 years.”

Daily Beast columnist Lachlan Markay added:

Will this presidential election be the most important in American history?

https://twitter.com/lachlan/status/943472863692185603

That law reads in part:

(b) Whoever—

(1) directly or indirectly, corruptly gives, offers or promises anything of value to any public official or person who has been selected to be a public official, or offers or promises any public official or any person who has been selected to be a public official to give anything of value to any other person or entity, with intent—

(A) to influence any official act;

shall be fined under this title or not more than three times the monetary equivalent of the thing of value, whichever is greater, or imprisoned for not more than fifteen years, or both, and may be disqualified from holding any office of honor, trust, or profit under the United States.

One person suggested to Markay that O’Donnell could face 30 years in prison:

https://twitter.com/NotEricWagner/status/943473778608214016

Technically, if one considers she eventually offered it up to all GOP senators present, that would raise the sentence even higher.  Since 51 Republicans voted for the measure, one could argue that O’Donnell technically faces up to 765 years in prison.

Conservative blogger Allahpundit added:

The Daily Wire’s Ben Shapiro sarcastically added: “If Trump orders Sessions to investigate Rosie, he will be carved into Rushmore by Friday.”

That tweet prompted this “intelligent” response from O’Donnell:

https://twitter.com/Rosie/status/943476969710260229

Shapiro advised O’Donnell:  “You’re already a felon, Rosie. Don’t be a homophobic sexual harasser too.”

Attorney Ken White, also known on twitter as @Popehat, threw a bit of cold water on those hoping to see O’Donnell in prison stripes and leg irons:

Judging from the tone of her tweets, which can be seen here, she certainly appeared to be making a serious offer…

White, however, said:

Actually, her behavior could best be described as “unhinged,” rather than “goofy,” but the point is made…

“But,” Twitchy said, “we can still HOPE!”

Absolutely.  After all, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Tex., seemed to agree with Markay:

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Joe Newby

A 10-year veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, Joe ran for a city council position in Riverside, Calif., in 1991 and managed successful campaigns for the Idaho state legislature. Co-author of "Banned: How Facebook enables militant Islamic jihad," Joe wrote for Examiner.com from 2010 until it closed in 2016 and his work has been published at Newsbusters, Spokane Faith and Values and other sites. He now runs the Conservative Firing Line.

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