As usual, pundits are churning out columns explaining that the Democrats are heading towards a convention where no candidate has won a majority of the delegates. As unusual, there’s at least some chance that it could actually happen this year. So let’s imagine a scenario where Bloomberg has about 40% of the delegates, and Bernie has about 40%, and everybody else is splitting up the remaining 20%, so in the first round of balloting at the convention, nobody wins, and then we move to the second round. In this scenario, is it legal for Bloomberg to just offer five millions dollars or so to a super-delegate, or to a delegate initially pledged to one of the other candidates, in exchange for their vote?
Now obviously it’s illegal to offer cash for a vote in an election. And it’s illegal to offer a politician cash for a vote on a bill. But the Democratic Convention isn’t a government event. It’s not mandated in the Constitution or any other law. Its rules are decided by the Democratic Party, which is not a part of the government. So as far the law is concerned, what would stop Bloomberg from buying votes at the convention?
Probably nothing could legally stop him, except that the DNC would have to swiftly kick him out of the party and as a candidate for PR purposes. Not only would the Bernie voters (or whoever else is the main Bloomberg rival) throw a fit, but it would look terrible from a PR standpoint. Bloomberg wouldn’t be electable after doing something like that.
Wasserman resigned because it was revealed she conspired to sabotage Sanders campaign…she wasn’t kicked out of the party. In fact Clinton gave her a job.
IOW, I don’t believe for a second Bloomberg would be kicked out.
Bribery isn’t restricted to government. I’m not a law talking guy but there is Commercial Bribery. I also don’t know whether the DNC bylaws explicitly prohibit bribing delegates.
Apparently mostlynot legal to do, per FCC guidance.
So apparently in theory a “donation” of up to $5000 could be made to cover delegate travel expenses, up to the amount used for the travel expenses (if less).