Oddbean

4/13/2023 (yes, more than 2 years later)--The FEC notifies Cruz and his campaign that the commission found "reason to believe" they violated the law "by converting $13,900 in campaign funds to personal use by purchasing Facebook ads promoting sales of Cruz’s book." 5/ https://www.fec.gov/files/legal/murs/7897/7897_09.pdf https://cdn.masto.host/journahost/media_attachments/files/111/069/789/615/054/687/original/a94c7e735ec4b840.png

5/5/2023--Cruz's attorneys produce an affidavit in which the senator says that at the end of 2021 and 2022, he directed his book agent to donate all of his royalties to a charity. 8/8/2023--FEC decides to "take no further action." 6/ https://cdn.masto.host/journahost/media_attachments/files/111/069/816/220/011/859/original/ea1d44dfb4a1120b.png https://cdn.masto.host/journahost/media_attachments/files/111/069/816/246/535/215/original/becf5fe9d59dfa01.png

ICYMI-- 💰️ According to his affidavit, Cruz did not inform his agent to donate royalties until about 8 months after he learned of the FEC investigation 💰️ Cruz didn't notify the FEC of the donations for another 17 months--after the commission told him it had reason to believe he'd broken the law 7/

Also-- 💰 As late as 2022, Cruz's annual financial disclosures make it sound as if the plan was for him to receive any royalties 💰 In Cruz's original response to the FEC complaint, there's no mention of a plan for any royalties (hypothetical at that point) to go to charity 8/ https://cdn.masto.host/journahost/media_attachments/files/111/069/879/660/893/944/original/bfb123a9a8edab6f.png https://cdn.masto.host/journahost/media_attachments/files/111/069/879/731/777/180/original/74643ace6458c08c.png

BTW, Cruz has earned $1.8 million as an author during his Senate tenure from book advances. His next book is scheduled for release in November. It appears to be part of a 2-book deal that came with a $1.1 million advance. 9/ https://cdn.masto.host/journahost/media_attachments/files/111/069/895/830/392/984/original/d932bee1ead87f29.png

Anywho, much appreciated if you checked out the article and RT'd this thread. Thanks! 10/10 https://www.forbes.com/sites/zacheverson/2023/09/14/fec-clears-ted-cruz-of-misusing-campaign-funds-for-book-promotion/?sh=7f14ecd567ab